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LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

University  of  California. 

OIFT    OF 

«mAw,...Mr.A51Cc^  S,  l^xjtivMjw 

Class 

THE  BIBLE  FOR  HOME  AND  SCHOOL 
SHAILER  MATHEWS,  General  Editor 

PROFESSOR  OF  HISTORICAL  AND   COMPARATIVE  THEOLOGY 
THE   UNIVERSITY   OF  CHICAGO 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO 
MATTHEW 

ARCHIBALD   THOMAS    ROBERTSON 


THE  BIBLE   FOR 

HOME    AND    SCHOOL 

SHAILER   MATHEWS,  General  Editor 
• 

GENESIS 

^        By  Professor  H 

G.  Mitchell 

"  ISAIAH 

By  Professor  Jo 
MATTHEW 

HN  E.  McFadyen 

By  Professor  A. 

T.  Robertson 

^ACTS 

By  Professor  George  H.  Gilbert                       | 

^  GALATIANS 

By  Professor  B. 

W.  Bacon 

^EPHESIANS  AND   COLOSSIANS 

By  Reverend  Gross  Alexander 

'  HEBREWS 

By  Professor  E. 

J.  Goodspeed 

J                       VOLUMES  IN  PREPARATION 

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By  Professor  W 

.  G.  Jordan 

'judges 

By  Professor  Edward  L.  Curtis                       | 

I  SAMUEL 

By  Professor  L. 

W.  Batten 

JOB 

By  Professor  George  A.  Barton 

PSALMS 

By  Reverend  J. 

P.  Peters 

AMOS,   HOSEA,   AND   MICAH                                  | 

By  Professor  J. 

M.  p.  Smith 

MARK 

By  Professor  M. 

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JOHN 

By  Professor  Shailer  Mathews 

ROMANS 

By  Professor  E. 

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By  Professor  J. 

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Williams  EDgFHving  Co., 


THE  BIBLE  FOR  HOME  AND  SCHOOL 

COMMENTARY 

ON 

THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO 
MATTHEW 


BY 


A.   T.    ROBERTSON,    A.M.,   D.D. 

PROFESSOR    OF  NEW  TESTAMENT   INTERPRETATION   IN  THE 

SOUTHERN   BAPTIST  THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 

LOUISVILLE,   KENTUCKY 


THE   MACMILLAN    COMPANY 
1911 

All  rights  reserved 


UO  ^0 


tl> 


Copyright,  1911, 
By  the  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.     Published  January,  1911. 


The  references  in  the  foot-notes  marked  "  SV  "  are  to  the  American  Standa 
Edition  of  the  Revised^Bibk.     Copyright,  1901,  by  Thomas  Nelson  &  Sons. 


BV  ViBRMISSipN'.OF  \[HR  PUBLISHERS. 


NoriBootf  i^resa 

J.  S.  Gushing  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 

Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


TO   THE   MEMORY   OF 

J.  B.  BOONE 

FAITHFUL   MINISTER   OF   CHRIST 


235415 


GENERAL    INTRODUCTION 

The  Bible  for  Home  and  School  is  intended  to  place 
the  results  of  the  best  modern  biblical  scholarship  at  the 
disposal  of  the  general  reader.  It  does  not  seek  to  dupli- 
cate other  commentaries  to  which  the  student  must  turn. 
Its  chief  characteristics  are  (a)  its  rigid  exclusion  of  all 
processes,  both  critical  and  exegetical,  from  its  notes ; 
{b)  its  presupposition  and  its  use  of  the  assured  results 
of  historical  investigation  and  criticism  wherever  such 
results  throw  light  on  the  biblical  text;  (c)  its  running 
analysis  both  in  text  and  comment;  {d)  its  brief  explana- 
tory notes  adapted  to  the  rapid  reader;  {e)  its  thorough 
but  brief  Introductions ;  (/)  its  use  of  the  Revised  Version 
of  1 88 1,  supplemented  with  all  important  renderings  in 
other  versions. 

Biblical  science  has  progressed  rapidly  during  the  past 
few  years,  but  the  reader  still  lacks  a  brief,  comprehensive 
commentary  that  shall  extend  to  him  in  usable  form  mate- 
rial now  at  the  disposition  of  the  student.  It  is  hoped 
that  in  this  series  the  needs  of  intelligent  Sunday  School 
teachers  have  been  met,  as  well  as  those  of  clergymen 
and  lay  readers,  and  that  in  scope,  purpose,  and  loyalty 
to  the  Scriptures  as  a  foundation  of  Christian  thought  and 
life,  its  volumes  will  stimulate  the  intelligent  use  of  the 
Bible  in  the  home  and  the  school. 


PREFACE 

The  wealth  of  material  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  was  a 
constant  temptation  to  transgress  the  limits  set  by  the 
series  to  which  this  commentary  belongs.  But  at  any  rate 
the  book  has  the  necessary  virtue  of  condensation.  I 
have  sought  to  produce  a  handbook  both  compact  and 
clear.  Some  of  the  Master's  greatest  discourses  are  pre- 
served in  the  First  Gospel,  and  for  that  and  other  reasons 
it  has  always  been  the  most  popular  of  the  Four  Gospels. 
The  books  in  English  that  are  most  useful  to  one  who 
wishes  to  pursue  the  subject  further  are  named  at  the 
close  of  the  Introduction.  Those  who  wish  to  consult 
books  in  German  can  begin  with  Zahn,  or  with  Holtz- 
mann's  Hand-Kommentar,  If  one  has  Allen  for  synoptic 
criticism,  Plummer  for  grip  of  the  whole  movement  of  the 
book,  Broadus  for  historical  setting  and  spiritual  insight, 
Bruce  for  penetration  and  pungent  statement,  Meyer  for 
grammatical  detail,  and  Zahn  for  cyclopedic  wealth  of 
information,  he  is  well  equipped  for  the  study  of  the  Gos- 
pel, so  far  as  commentaries  go.  I  shall  have  a  real,  if 
unknown,  interest  in  everyone  who  seeks  to  know  more  of 
the  mind  of  Christ  through  the  present  volume. 

The  symbols  M  for  Mark,  Q  (German  Quelle)  for  the 
Logia  used  by  Matthew  and  Luke,  and  R  for  the  remain- 
ing material  used  in  Matthew's  Gospel  are  printed  on  the 
margin  of  the  Scripture  text,  for  the  convenience  of  those 

ix 


PREFACE 


who  adopt  the  theory  that  use  is  made  of  these  materials 
in  Matthew's  Gospel. 

I  have  to  acknowledge  the  great  kindness  of  Rev.  J.  B. 
Wetherspoon,  of  North  Carolina,  in  the  preparation  of  the 

Index. 

A.  T.  ROBERTSON. 
Louisville,  Ky. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Introduction i 

I.    Text i 

II.    Canonicity 3 

III.  The  Apostle  Matthew 5 

IV.  Origin  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew         .  7 
V.    Sources  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew         .        .        .11 

VI.    The  Unity  of  the  Book 23 

VII.    Date 23 

VIII.    Historical  Value  of  the  First  Gospel     ...  25 

IX.    Purpose  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew      .  27 

X.    Characteristics .        .29 

XI.    Analysis 43 

XII.    Bibliography 48 

XIII.    Comment 51 

Appendix 

Note  A.    The  Testaments  of  the  Twelve  Patriarchs  287 
Note  B.    The  Language  and  Style  of  the  Gospel  of 

Matthew 288 

Index 291 


MATTHEW 

ARCHIBALD   THOMAS    ROBERTSON 


xui 


INTRODUCTION 

I.  Text 

The  nature  of  this  volume  allows  small  space  for  re- 
marks on  the  text  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew. 
In  general  the  primary  uncials  (i^ABCD)  with  reen- 
forcement  by  L,  the  best  of  the  Cursives,  the  Syriac, 
Egyptian,  and  Latin  Versions,  with  quotations  from  the 
early  fathers,  give  us  a  reasonably  satisfactory  text.  The 
newly  discovered  Freer  (Detroit)  uncial  will  probably  take 
high  rank  as  a  witness  for  the  text  of  Matthew.  Allen  ^ 
is  clearly  right  in  refusing  to  consider  the  Westcott  and 
Hort  text  as  "final."  But  it  remains  still  the  best  working 
basis  for  modern  scholars,  and  it  is  strongly  supported  in 
its  general  positions  by  the  work  of  B.  Weiss  ^  on  indepen- 
dent lines.  The  same  thing  is  true  of  the  critical  edition 
of  the  N.  T.  by  Ebr.  Nestle,  which  gives  important  variants 
in  Mss.  and  modem  editions.^  There  is  no  tendency 
among  modem  scholars  to  go  back  to  the  Textus  Receptus. 
Dean  Burgon  made  a  magnificent  fight  against  Hort,  but 
the  contest  has  gone  in  favor  of  the  great  Cambridge 
scholar.  One  can  well  sympathize  with  Dr.  J.  Rendal 
Harris' words  about  Burgon:  "I  beheve  he  was  entirely 
wrong  in  his  conclusions,  but  it  is  impossible  to  ignore  the 
vigour  of  his  onslaught  or  the  range  of  his  artillery."* 
The  main  revolt  at  present  against  the  Hort  text  is  by  those 
who,  like  Allen,  "beheve  that  the  second  century  readings, 
attested  by  the  ecclesiastical  writers  of  that  century  and 
by  the  Syriac  and  Latin  Versions,  are  often  deserving  of 

*  Comm.  on  Matt.,  Int.  Crit.  Comtn.,  p.  Ixxxvii. 

*  Textkritik  der  vier  Evangelien,  1899. 

»  See  abo  Von  Soden's  critical  work  on  the  text  of  the  New  Testament. 

*  Sidelights  on  New  Testament  Research,  p.  22. 

B  I 


INTRODUCTION 


preference."  ^  There  is  an  undoubted  revival  of  interest 
in  the  Western  t5rpe  of  text  represented  by  D,  the  Latin 
Versions,  the  Curetonian  Syriac,  TertulHan,  etc.  The 
present  over-emphasis  on  the  Western  text  will  be  read- 
justed with  probably  more  value  put  upon  this  type  of 
text  than  W  H  were  wiUing  to  admit.  Still  it  must  not 
be  overlooked  that  Hort's  "Western  non-interpolations" 
find  illustration  in  Matthew.  A  good  example  is  seen  in 
Matt.  27 :  49,  where  i<BCL  insert  Jn.  19 :  34  to  the  con- 
fusion of  the  context.  The  Western  t)7pe  of  text  is  free 
from  this  harmonistic  error.  It  is  possible,^  on  the  other 
hand,  that  in  Matt.  24  :  36  "not  even  the  Son"  is  a  Western 
addition  from  Mk.  13  :  32,  though  supported  by  SBD. 
In  Paul's  Epistles  B  has  Western  readings,  though  Hort 
denies  that  in  the  Gospels.  But  certainly  B  is  the  best 
single  document  for  the  text  of  Matthew.  The  most 
startling  variation  in  the  text  of  Matthew,  apart  from  D 
(cf.  the  addition  to  20  :  28),  is  seen  in  the  Sinaitic  Pal- 
impsest (Syr.-Sin.).^  In  general  it  represents  an  early  form 
of  the  Curetonian  Syriac  Version.  Instead  of  the  critical 
text  of  Matt,  i :  16  this  Ms.  reads,  "  Joseph,  to  whom  was 
betrothed  Mary  the  Virgin,  begat  Jesus,  called  the  Messiah." 
This  reading  is  probably  due  to  dogmatic  bias  against  the 
theory  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  set  forth  in  the  Greek  text. 
In  Matt.  1 :  18  the  usual  record  runs  in  this  document, 
showing  that  the  alteration  was  not  carried  through  in 
both  places.'^  If  one  accepts  the  priority  of  Mark  to 
Matthew  and  the  use  of  Mark  by  Matthew,  the  study  of 
the  text  of  Matthew  involves  also  the  history  of  the  text 
of  Mark.  It  is  proper  to  face  the  problem  of  the  Greek 
text  first,  since  all  else  grows  out  of  that.  The  text  of  the 
Revisers,^  which  hes  behind  the  Canterbury  (1881)  Re- 
vision used  in  this  commentary,  does  not  differ  greatly 

1  Int.  Crit.  Comm.  on  Matt.,  p.  Ixxxvii.  *  See  Broadus  on  Matt.,  p.  492. 

»  Discovered  in  1892  in  the  Monastery  of  St.  Catherine  at  Sinai  by  Mrs.  Lewis  and 
Mrs.  Gibson,  two  Cambridge  scholars. 

*  Cf.  Zahn,  Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  1909,  Vol.  II,  pp.  565  i. ;  Allen  on  Matt., 
p.  8 ;   Gressmann,  Matthdus,  1909,  Eandbuch  zum  N.  T.,  S.  156. 

»  Cf.  Whitney,  The  Revisers^  Greek  Text,  I,  II,  1892. 


INTRODUCTION 


from  that  of  Westcott  and  Hort,  of  B.  Weiss,  or  of  Nestle. 
See,  in  particular,  F.  Blass,  Textkritische  Bemerkungen 
zu  Matthaus,  1900. 


n.  Canonicity 

We  may  begin  with  Irenaeus  (about  a.d.  180),  who  argued 
that  there  could  be  only  four  gospels,  because  of  the 
four  winds  and  the  four  elements  {Adv.  Hcsr.  iii.  11,  s.  8). 
His  reasoning  is  fanciful,  but  it  reveals  the  fact  that  "  the 
four-shaped  Gospel"  had  wide  acceptance.  He  mentions 
the  names  of  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John  (Iren.  iii. 
I.  i).  We  need  not  insist  on  this  order,  but  the  reception 
of  these  four  Gospels,  and  these  alone,  as  canonical  in  the 
future  lists  is  outhned  by  Irenaeus.  There  were  other 
"gospels,"  some  of  them  well  spoken  of  by  various  writers, 
like  the  Gospel  according  to  the  Hebrews,  the  Gospel  of 
the  Egyptians,  the  Gospel  according  to  Peter,  the  Gospel 
of  Nicodemus,  the  Protevangehum  of  James,  etc.^  We 
know  something  of  these  from  quotations  in  different 
writers,  and  in  1882  a  fragment  of  the  Gospel  according  to 
Peter  was  discovered  by  M.  Bouriant.  It  was  pubUshed 
in  1892.  It  is  not  hard  to  see  why  our  Canonical  Gospels 
displaced  these  all  in  the  favor  of  the  early  Christians. 
Various  groups  of  heretics  produced  special  "gospels,* 
which  perished  with  the  passing  of  the  heresies.  If  we  go 
backward  from  Irenaeus,  we  meet  the  Diatessaron  of  Tatian 
(about  160  A.D.)  He  begins  his  interwoven  narrative 
{Diatessaron  =  by  means  of  four)  with  the  Prologue  of  John's 
Gospel  and  uses  throughout  the  Four  Gospels,  now  one,  now 
the  other.  This  early  "  Harmony  "  of  the  Gospels  is  now  ac- 
cessible in  English  (Hill's  translation).  It  is  not  to  be  over- 
looked, also,  that  in  the  earliest  Syriac,  Latin,  and  Egyptian 
Versions,  which  probably  go  back  to  the  second  century,  the 
Four  Gospels  are  translated  and  no  other  gospels.    It  is 

1  Cf.  art.  on  "  Gospels,  Apocryphal,"  Hastings'  Dictionary  of  the  Bible. 
3 


INTRODUCTION 


not  necessary  to  state  the  general  acceptance  of  the  Gospels 
in  the  third  and  fourth  centuries  nor  to  strain  after  minute 
allusions  to  Matthew  in  the  comparatively  few  Christian 
writers  in  the  first  half  of  the  second  century.  It  is  now 
generally  admitted  that  Justin  Martyr  (about  150  a.d.) 
was  acquainted  with  the  Gospel  of  John  as  well  as  with 
the  Synoptic  Gospels  (Apol.  i.  66,  ''which  are  called  gos- 
pels"). "Memoirs"  was  a  common  name  with  Justin 
Martyr  {Dial,  cv)  for  the  "Gospels."  The  Teaching  of 
the  Twelve  (probably  125  a.d.)  also  makes  use  of  the  Gos- 
pel according  to  Matthew.  There  is  an  apparent  quota- 
tion in  the  so-called  Epistle  of  Barnabas  (a.d.  100  ?)  with 
the  formula  "as  it  is  written."  Various  heretics  (Ophites, 
etc.)  also  used  this  Gospel  in  the  second  century.^  But 
we  possess  more  detailed  statements  in  Irenaeus,  who  says 
(Hcer.  iii.  i),  "Matthew  among  the  Hebrews  published 
a  gospel  in  their  own  dialect,  when  Peter  and  Paul  were 
preaching  in  Rome  and  founding  the  Church."  This 
remark  brings  difiiculties  of  its  own,  but  it  clearly  attests 
the  existence  of  a  gospel  by  Matthew.  Papias,  who  is 
quoted  in  Eusebius  (iii.  39),  wrote  the  Exposition  of  the 
Oracles  of  the  Lord  not  later  than  140  a.d.  He  was  Bishop 
of  Hierapolis,  a  listener  of  John  and  a  friend  of  Polycarp. 
He  says,  "Matthew,  then,  in  Hebrew  speech  compiled 
the  Logia;  while  they  were  interpreted  by  each  man 
according  to  his  ability."  This  statement  of  Papias  is 
probably  the  source  of  the  information  of  Irenaeus  and 
suggests  more  problems  than  it  solves.  These  will  come 
up  for  discussion  presently.  But,  meanwhile,  we  have 
seen  abundant  evidence  of  the  existence  and  use  through 
the  second  century  of  a  Gospel  according  to  Matthew, 
whether  in  Hebrew  or  Greek,  as  one  of  the  "Four  Gos- 
pels" which  came  to  be  alone  accepted  as  canonical.^ 
The  authorship,  sources,  and  date  of  the  Gospel  according 

1  Gregory,  The  Canon  and  Text  of  the  N.  T.,  pp.  163  ff. 

«  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew  is  quoted  much  more  fre- 
quently than  Mark  and  Luke. 

4 


INTRODUCTION 


to  Matthew  remain  for  separate  treatment,  but  because 
of  its  association  with  the  name  of  the  Apostle  Mat- 
thew, we  are  justified  in  setting  forth  what  is  known  about 
him. 

III.  The  Apostle  Matthew 

There  is  not  a  great  deal  that  is  known  of  Matthew 
outside  of  the  Gospels.  His  name  occurs  once  in  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  in  the  list  of  those  in  "the  upper  chamber" 
(i :  13).  He  probably  left  Jerusalem  for  mission  work 
after  the  persecution  by  Herod  Agrippa  I  (Acts  12;  cf. 
Peter's  departure  in  verses  18  f.)  There  are  stories  about 
his  Hving  the  life  of  an  ascetic  on  herbs  and  water,  a  great 
change  from  his  former  manner  of  life  as  a  pubHcan.  It  is 
represented  in  Western  art  that  he  was  slain  by  the  sword 
and  again  it  is  denied  that  he  was  a  martyr.  In  eccle- 
siastical art  Matthew  (after  the  four  living  creatures  in 
Ezek.  1 :  5-26,  cf.  Rev.  4 :  6-10)  is  represented  as  the  man 
(or  angel),  Mark  as  the  lion,  Luke  as  the  calf,  John  as  the 
eagle.  But  this  appUes  to  the  books  rather  than  to  the 
writers.  It  is  to  the  Gospels  that  we  must  go  for  what 
information  is  really  known  about  Matthew.  He  had  two 
names  (Levi  Matthew)  Uke  John  Mark,  Simon  Peter, 
Saul  Paul,  etc.  We  do  not  know  whether  Levi  was  the 
original  name,  as  with  Simon,  and  Matthew  (possibly  = 
"the  gift  of  Jehovah"  like  the  Greek  "Theodore")  an  ac- 
quired name  (cf.  Cephas  or  Peter),  or  whether  he  had  both 
names  from  the  beginning  as  was  common  enough  (prob- 
ably so  Saul  Paul).  In  the  latter  case  he  would  have  two 
Jewish  names  from  the  first.  In  the  Gospel  according  to 
Matthew  the  name  Matthew  alone  occurs  (Matt.  9:9; 
10:  3),  while  in  Mark  and  Luke  we  have  now  Levi  (Mk. 
2  :  14 ;  Lk.  5  :  27),  now  Matthew  (Mk.  3:18;  Lk.  6 :  15). 
But  it  is  perfectly  clear  in  Matt.  9 :  9  and  Mk.  2  :  14  (Lk. 
5:27)  that  the  same  man  is  meant  by  the  two  names. 
In  each  of  the  three  Gospels  he  is  described  as  "sitting  at 
the  place  of  toll."    This  was  near  Capernaimi  on  the  high- 


INTRODUCTION 


way  from  Damascus  to  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  He  was 
an  officer  of  Herod  Antipas,  the  Tetrarch  of  Galilee  and 
Perea.  In  the  list  of  the  Twelve  in  Matt.  lo :  3  he  is  called 
"Matthew  the  publican."  This  fact  is  implied  in  the 
narrative  of  his  call  and  the  accounts  of  the  feast  given  by 
him  at  his  house  in  honor  of  Jesus.  He  invited  "many 
publicans  and  sinners"  and  "others."  He  was  loyal  to 
his  class  and  Jesus  was  not  unwilling  to  accept  an  invita- 
tion to  such  a  company.  The  presence  of  "  the  Pharisees 
and  their  scribes"  (Lk.  5  :  30)  was  due  to  a  curious  custom 
that  persons  uninvited  might  be  present  at  such  a  function, 
merely  as  spectators.  He  was  not  a  Roman  officer  like 
Zacchaeus  at  Jericho  (Lk.  19:2),  nor  was  he  a  "  chief  publi- 
can" like  Zacchaeus,  a  farmer  of  taxes  to  other  publicans. 
But  he  had  acquired  some  property,  evidently,  as  is  seen 
from  the  generosity  of  the  entertainment  shown  to  his 
many  guests.  He  was  probably  no  better  than  his  class 
and  was  very  likely  guilty  of  the  extortion  admitted  by 
Zacchaeus.  The  names  "publicans  and  sinners"  were 
coupled  not  merely  by  the  haters  of  Rome  and  of  Herod, 
but  Jesus  himself  did  so  ("publicans  and  the  harlots," 
Matt.  21:31  f.),  as  reported  in  this  Gospel  according  to 
Matthew.  On  the  occasion  of  Matthew's  feast  the 
Pharisees  made  no  exception  of  the  host  in  their  sneer 
at  Jesus  and  his  disciples  for  eating  with  publicans  and 
sirmers. 

Jesus  did  not  disdain  to  include  one  of  this  class  in  his 
chosen  band  of  Apostles.  Until  Jesus  met  him  he  had  not 
been  a  disciple,  though  probably  familiar  with  the  work 
of  Jesus  in  Jerusalem.  This  fact  partly  explains  his 
prompt  obedience  to  Jesus  and  surrender  of  his  lucrative 
position.  It  was  not  impossible  for  a  tax  collector  to  con- 
tinue in  his  work  and  become  a  follower  of  Jesus,  though 
certainly  the  most  of  them  must  needs  mend  their  ways. 
The  protest  of  the  Pharisees  to  Jesus  did  not  deter  him 
from  caUing  Matthew  to  the  apostolate.  A  curious  sur- 
vival of  Matthew's  handling  of  money  at  the  place  of  toll 

6 


INTRODUCTION 


appears  in  the  frequent  mention  of  coins  of  the  highest 
value,  whereas  in  Mark  "we  read  only  of  three  coins  and 
those  the  poorest ;  the  mite,  the  farthing,  and  the  penny."  ^ 
In  Luke  we  have  "pounds"  also.  Cf.  Matt.  lo :  9.  "Tal- 
ents" are  mentioned  in  Matthew  alone  (18:23;  25:1 5). 
In  Mk.  2  :  14  Matthew  is  called  also  "the  son  of  Alphaeus." 
Is  he  a  brother  of  "James  the  son  of  Alphaeus"  (Matt. 
10:3;  Mk.  3:18;  Lk.  6:15)?  That  is  only  possible 
"if  then  we  take  the  view  that  this  James  is  neither  the 
brother  of  our  Lord  nor  yet  the  same  as  James  the  Little, 
and  if  we  negative  the  idea  that  Alphaeus  (Aram.  Khal- 
phai)  and  'Clopas'  are  one  name"  (Maclean  in  Hastings' 
one-vol.  D.  B.),  There  is  a  modesty  of  demeanor  in 
Matthew  apparent  in  all  the  Gospels,  an  absence  of  self- 
assertion.  He  was  the  business  man  in  the  ministry.  He 
was  a  thorough  Jew,  but  not  a  Pharisee.  His  sympathies 
will  be  with  the  masses  and  he  will  be  open  to  the  work 
among  the  Gentiles  when  that  time  comes.  He  not  only 
Uved  in  Galilee,  but  his  work  as  tax  collector  had  brought 
him  into  close  touch  with  the  Gentiles.  He  had  probably 
transgressed  many  of  the  Pharisaic  niles  about  the  Sabbath 
and  the  ceremonial  system  in  general. 

What  was  it  in  Matthew  that  appealed  to  Jesus?  He 
saw  in  him  the  making  of  a  man  and  minister. 

•  IV.  Origin  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew 

I.  The  Synoptic  Problem.  This  subject  divides  honors 
with  the  Johannine  question  for  difficulty  and  prolonged 
debate.  In  spite  of  repeated  attacks  Jolm  is  still  held  by 
men  Hke  James  Drummond  ^  and  William  Sanday  ^  to  be 
the  author  of  the  Fourth  Gospel.  It  is  not  perhaps  too 
hazardous  to  predict  that  this  position  will  grow  in  accept- 
ance with  scholars  of  the  future.  But  no  such  prophecy  is 
safe  concerning  the  Synoptic  Problem.    Hamack  *  laments 

*  Luckock,  Special  Characteristics  of  the  Gospels,  p.  32. 

*  An  Inquiry  into  the  Character  and  Authorship  of  the  Fourth  Gospd,  1904. 

*  Criticism  of  the  Fourth  Gospd,  1905.  «  The  Sayings  of  Jesus,  1908,  p.  xii  f. 


INTRODUCTION 


"the  wretched  plight  in  which  the  criticism  of  the  Gospels 
finds  itself  in  these  days,  and  indeed  has  always  found 
itself  —  with  the  exception  of  the  work  of  a  few  critics, 
and  apart  from  the  Markan  problem,  which  has  been 
treated  with  scientific  thoroughness."  Zahn,^  after  a 
masterly  survey  of  the  history  of  the  Synoptic  Problem, 
concludes,  "Up  to  the  present  time  no  one  of  the  investi- 
gations of  the  Synoptic  Problem  can  be  said  to  have  pro- 
duced results  which  have  been  generally  accepted,  or  that 
can  lay  well-grounded  claims  to  such  acceptance."  With 
such  pessimistic  words  from  Harnack,  the  leader  of  the 
left  in  German  criticism,  and  from  Zahn,  the  leader  of  the 
right,  it  cannot  be  expected  that  any  final  results  on  this 
subject  are  to  be  announced  in  these  pages.  But  the 
labors  on  this  subject  have  been  great  and  long  extended 
and  not  wholly  for  naught.  It  can  now  be  confidently 
said  that  criticism  as  a  whole  admits  the  genuineness  of 
the  Gospel  according  to  Mark  and  the  Gospel  according 
to  Luke.  This  of  itself  is  distinct  progress.  It  is  also 
admitted  that  Mark  is  earlier  than  Luke.  It  is  probably 
shown  besides  that  Luke  used  Mark  as  one  of  his  sources.^ 
But  what  about  Matthew  and  its  relation  to  Mark  and 
Luke  ?  It  is  at  this  point  that  we  approach  the  supreme 
difficulty  in  the  Synoptic  Problem.  No  adequate  dis- 
cussion of  the  matter  can  be  here  attempted.  The  con- 
tending views  are  well  set  forth  in  the  works  of  Harnack 
and  Zahn  just  mentioned.  For  an  able  independent  dis- 
cussion see  Burton,  Some  Principles  of  Literary  Criticism 
and  their  Application  to  the  Synoptic  Problem,  1904. 
At  present  it  is  a  matter  of  alternatives,  with  a  decided 
drift  in  one  direction  which  will  be  presently  indicated. 

2.  The  Title.  The  oldest  manuscripts  have  merely 
"According  to  Matthew."  Others  have  "Gospel  accord- 
ing to  Matthew,"  while  still  later  cursives  read  "The Holy 

1  Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  Vol.  2,  1909.  p.  418. 

*  Hawkins,  Horn  Synopticce,  p.  122.  Cf.  also  Hobart,  Medical  Language  of  St. 
Luke,  1882 ;  Harnack,  Luke  the  Physician,  igo? ;  Ramsay,  Luke  the  Physician,  1908. 

8 


INTRODUCTION 


Gospel  according  to  Matthew."  Does  this  title  mean  that 
Matthew  is  the  author  of  the  Gospel  in  its  present  shape  ? 
It  is  doubtful  if  at  the  very  first  the  book  had  a  title,  though 
that  is  possible.  Certainly  in  the  second  century  and 
onward  the  phrase  was  taken  to  mean  authorship  in  the 
full  sense.  But  at  the  beginning  it  is  entirely  possible 
that  it  may  have  been  used  to  indicate  that  the  present 
Greek  Gospel  was  based  on  the  work  of  Matthew.  But 
that  is  just  the  point  in  dispute. 

3.  The  Aramaic  Gospel  of  Matthew.  Whatever  is  true 
about  the  Greek  Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  there  is 
now  pretty  general  agreement  that  Matthew  wrote  an 
Aramaic  (Hebrew)  Gospel.  Some  scholars  indeed  think 
that  Papias  was  a  man  of  little  mind  and  was  confused 
(see  Canonicity)  on  that  subject.  But  that  is  a  gra- 
tuitous reflection  on  Papias  and  he  by  no  means  stands 
alone  in  that  statement  about  Matthew.  Eusebius,  who 
quotes  Papias  {H.  E.  iii.  39),  cites  also  Ir  naeus  (fi".  E.  v. 
8.  2)  and  Origen  {U.  E.  vi.  25)  and  adds  his  own  opinion 
to  the  same  effect  {H.  E.  iii.  246).  It  is  difficult  to  think 
that  this  tradition  is  without  foundation  in  fact.^  It  may 
seem  curious  that  the  Aramaic  Gospel  has  so  completely 
vanished.  Some  scholars  have  tried  to  connect  it  with 
the  Gospel  of  the  Hebrews,  but  without  success.  But  one 
is  reminded  of  Luke's  word  (Lk.  i :  i)  about  the  "many" 
who  had  set  forth  narratives  of  the  life  of  the  Master.  It 
does  not  necessarily  follow  that  Luke  had  seen  and  used 
this  Aramaic  Matthew,  though  such  a  view  is  entirely 
probable  in  itself. 

It  may  very  well  have  belonged  to  the  large  number  of 
noble  attempts  to  present  the  work  of  Christ.  We  know 
also  that  some  of  Paul's  letters  have  not  survived  (i  Cor. 
5:9).  We  know  that  Jesus  himself  spoke  usually  in  the 
Aramaic  tongue,  though  also  in  Greek.  It  is  not  surprising 
that  a  gospel  was  written  also  in  the  Aramaic.  It  may 
even  be  said  that  the  Aramaic  Matthew  was  earlier  than 

1  Cf.  Hawkins,  Eora  Synopticee,  pp.  88,  129. 
9 


INTRODUCTION 


Mark  or  Luke,  though  Mark  was  written  before  the  Greek 
Matthew  or  Luke.  It  is  pure  conjecture  to  give  a  date  to 
the  Aramaic  Matthew.  Irenaeus  does  date  it  while  Peter 
and  Paul  were  preaching  in  Rome,  but  it  is  not  clear  that 
he  is  distinguishing  the  Aramaic  from  the  Greek  Matthew. 
This  matter  will  come  up  again  and  may  be  passed  for  the 
moment. 

4.  The  Greek  Gospel  according  to  Matthew.  What  is  to 
be  said  about  the  present  Matthew  ?  What  is  its  relation 
to  the  Aramaic  Matthew  ?  This  is  the  crux  of  the  whole 
matter.    Only  a  summary  can  be  attempted. 

{a)  One  view  is  that  the  Greek  Matthew  is  in  reality 
a  translation  of  the  Aramaic  Matthew.  The  great  weight 
of  Zahn's  scholarship  is  given  to  this  position.^  He  denies 
that  the  term  "Oracles"  as  used  by  Papias  is  the  title  of 
a  book ;  it  merely  points  to  the  words  of  Jesus  contained 
in  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew  to  which  Papias 
referred.  He  considers  the  translator  unknown  and  dates 
the  translation  toward  the  close  of  the  first  century.  Some 
scholars  even  hold  that  Matthew  himself  translated  his 
Aramaic  Gospel  into  Greek. 

Allen  2  admits  the  strength  of  this  position,  which  has 
imiform  external  testimony,  if  Papias'  words  be  inter- 
preted as  above.  It  must  still  be  held  possible,  as  Allen 
allows,  that  this  view  may  be  correct.  It  has  grave  diffi- 
culties which  grow  out  of  the  comparison  of  Matthew  with 
Mark.  It  is  not  merely  that  the  framework  of  Mark  is  in 
Matthew,  but  that  in  a  translation  from  Aramaic  into 
Greek  so  much  of  the  very  language  of  Mark  should  be 
used  verbatim  is  indeed  difficult  to  believe.  There  are  also 
many  evidences  that  the  Greek  Matthew  was  composed 
in  Greek  and  is  not  a  translation.' 

(b)  Another  view  is  that  the  Greek  Gospel  is  a  free  com- 
position by  Matthew  himself  in  more  or  less  independence 
of  the  Aramaic  Gospel.    In  other  words  Matthew  wrote 

» Introduction  to  the  N.  Y.,  Vol.  II,  p.  516.  » Int.  Crit.  Comm.  on  MaU.,  p.  Ixix. 

»  C£.  Plummer,  Exegetkal  Comm.  on  Matt.,  1909. 

XO 


INTRODUCTION 


two  Gospels  very  much  alike,  one  in  Aramaic,  one  in  Greek. 
This,  of  course,  is  not  impossible  in  itself.  Luke  is  held 
by  Blass  ^  to  have  produced  two  editions  of  both  the  Gospel 
and  the  Acts,  one  short  and  one  long,  but  the  cases  are  not 
exactly  parallel.  Josephus,  however,  produced  his  Jew- 
ish War  first  in  Aramaic.  It  was  probably  shorter  than 
the  later  Greek  edition.  The  Greek  was  practically  a  new 
work  and  "shows  no  traces  of  its  Aramaic  parentage."* 
This  theory  in  itself  is  possible,  though  it  does  not  account 
for  the  relation  of  the  Greek  Matthew  to  Mark,  unless  the 
Apostle  Matthew  himself  deliberately  used  the  framework 
of  Mark  because  Peter's  teaching  was  the  main  source  of 
Mark's  narrative.  Few  scholars  now  maintain  this  posi- 
tion, but  see  Salmon,  Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  p.  223. 

(c)  The  Greek  Matthew  is  the  work  of  another.  This 
is  the  view  of  the  majority  of  modem  critics.  Very  strong 
arguments  are  adduced  for  the  position  that  "the  unknown 
constructor  of  the  First  Gospel"  ^  made  use  of  the  Aramaic 
Matthew  or  a  translation  of  it  into  Greek.  If  this  is  true, 
the  name  is  explained,  for  the  Aramaic  Matthew  is  probably 
taken  over  nearly  as  a  whole  into  the  First  Gospel.  The 
disappearance  of  the  Aramaic  Matthew  is  thus  probably 
accounted  for.  There  is  real  justification  for  the  use  of 
Matthew's  name  in  connection  with  it.  This  theory  calls 
for  rather  more  extended  treatment. 

V.  The  Sources  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew 

I.  The  Gospel  according  to  Mark.  Our  Second  Gospel 
is  generally  held  to  have  been  used  by  the  author  of  our 
Greek  Matthew.  This  matter  is  worked  out  carefully 
by  Hawkins,^  Allen,^  and  Plummer.^  The  subject  is  treated 
exhaustively  by  Allen,  who  claims  that  "almost  the  entire 
substance  of  the  Second  Gospel  has  been  transferred  to 

»  Philology  of  the  Gospels,  1898. 

•  H.  St.  John  Thackeray,  art.  "  Josephus  "  in  extra  volume  of  Hastings'  D.  B. 

•  Plummer,  Comm.  on  Matt.,  p.  ix.  *  Horce  Synopticce,  pp.  42  ff. 

•  Comm.  on  Matt.,  pp.  xiii-xl.  *  Comm.  on  Matt.,  pp.  xi-rv,  xviii  f. 

II 


INTRODUCTION 


the  First."  ^  The  chief  exceptions  to  this  statement  are 
Mk.  1 :  23-28,  35-39;  4 :  26-29;  7  -  32-37;  8 :  22-26;  9 :  38- 
40;  12:41-44.  The  most  convincing  illustration  of  the 
identity  in  framework  between  Mark  and  Matthew  is  the 
general  analysis  in  Plummer's  Matthew,  p.  xviii :  — 

Mark  Matthew 

1 : 1-13  Introduction  to  the  Gospel  3  :  1-4 :  11 

6 :  14-9 :  13         Ministry  in  Galilee  4 :  12-13  •  5^ 

6 :  14-9 :  50  Ministry  in  the  Neighbor- 
hood 14 : 1-18 :  35 

10: 1-52  Journey  through  Perea  to 

Jerusalem  19 : 1-20 :  34 

11:1-16:8        Last  week  in  Jerusalem  21:1-28:8 

This  is  a  striking  fact,  whatever  the  explanation.  The 
present  theory  holds  that  Mark's  order  is  the  original  one 
and  was  followed  by  both'  Matthew  and  Luke. 

It  is  not  held  that  Matthew  follows  Mark  in  every  detail 
in  these  chapters.  Various  portions  here  and  there  may 
come  from  other  sources.  In  fact,  especially  in  the  first 
half  of  the  book,  deviations  in  the  order  of  the  shorter  sec- 
tions are  many.  But  the  broad  outline  holds.  The  old 
tradition  set  forth  this  same  outline  if  we  may  judge  from 
the  address  of  Peter  at  Caesarea  (Acts  10 :  36-43)  and  of 
Paul  at  Antioch  in  Pisidia  (13 :  23-37).  But  the  agree- 
ment between  Mark  and  Matthew  extends  to  minute 
details  of  language.  The  oral  tradition  was  once  relied 
on  by  many  scholars  as  alone  sufficient  to  explain  the  agree- 
ments and  the  disagreements  between  the  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels.^ It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  oral  teaching  played 
a  large  part  in  the  preservation  of  the  gospel  story.  If 
Mark's  Gospel  represents  in  substance  the  teaching  of 
Simon  Peter,  the  oral  teaching  in  its  best  form  lies  at  the 
very  basis  of  this  Gospel.  Even  if  the  Greek  Matthew 
made  use  of  Mark,  as  is  probably  true,  there  is  still  need 

1  Comm.  on  Matt.,  p.  xiii.  Cf.  also  Wellhausen,  Einleitung  in  die  drei  erslcn  Ev. 
S.  57  seq.         »  Westcott,  Introduction  to  the  Four  Gospels,  p.  212. 

X2 


INTRODUCTION 


to  appeal  to  the  oral  teaching  at  numerous  points.^  The 
memories  of  the  Jews  were  wonderfully  well  developed  in 
this  direction,  as  is  shown  by  the  long  use  of  the  impointed 
Hebrew  text  and  the  fact  that  none  of  the  oral  law  was 
written  down  till  200  a.d.  It  is  not  held  that  the  Greek 
Matthew  makes  a  mechanical  use  of  Mark.  In  many  de- 
tails there  are  changes,  some  by  way  of  abbreviation,  some 
by  way  of  expansion.  Each  writer  has  his  own  linguistic 
style.  Thus  Mark  has  "straightway"  about  forty-one 
times,  while  Matthew  has  this  word  only  seven  times,  and 
these  come  from  Mark.  Mark  has  the  historic  present 
nearly  twice  as  often  as  Matthew.^  The  frequent  imper- 
fects of  Mark  become  aorists  in  Matthew.  According 
to  this  theory  a  number  of  editorial  notes  occur  in  the  midst 
of  the  material  drawn  from  Mark.  This  does  not  mean 
that  the  additional  material  is  of  no  value.  The  Evan- 
gelist may  indeed  have  had  authority  for  it  quite  on  a  par 
with  that  of  Mark.  We  have  no  right  to  assume  that  all 
was  invention  save  what  we  can  now  account  for.  The 
examples  of  identity  in  language  between  Mark  and  Mat- 
thew (and  Luke)  belong  chiefly  to  the  discourses  of  Jesus.^ 
This  occurs  even  in  places  where  a  parenthesis  is  inserted, 
as  in  Mk.  2  :  10 ;  Matt.  9:6;  Lk.  5  :  24.  But  it  is  found 
also  in  narrative  sentences,  as  in  Mk.  3:19;  Matt.  10 :  4 ; 
Lk.  6  :  16.  But  if  Mark's  Gospel  has  thus  been  used  with 
freedom,  one  must  maintain  that  it  has  also  been  done 
with  great  skill  and  intelligence.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
this  theory  that  one  now  be  able  to  account  for  the  origin 
of  every  word  and  phrase  in  the  Markan  portions  of  Mat- 
thew. Certainly  some  independence  in  the  use  of  sources, 
not  to  say  literary  skill,  must  be  credited  to  one  who  com- 
posed so  great  a  book  as  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew. 
On  the  great  value  of  Mark  as  a  main  source  of  the  Gospels 
of  Matthew  and  Luke,  see  Burkitt,  Gospel  History  and 


1  Cf.  Hawkins,  Eora  Synoptica,  p.  88. 
'  Cf.  Hawkins,  Hora  Synoptica,  pp.  114  ff. 
'  Cf.  Rushbrooke,  Synopticon,  1884. 

13 


INTRODUCTION 


its  Transmission^  p.  65  ff.    Cf.  also  Swete's  great  Com- 
mentary  on  Mark. 

2.  Q  or  the  Aramaic  Logia.  The  term  "Logia'*  used  by 
Papias  for  the  Aramaic  Matthew  has  been  the  subject  of  a 
great  deal  of  controversy.  Irenaeus  and  the  later  Fathers 
generally  use  "Gospel"  (cf.  Justin  Martyr's  "Memoirs" 
and  "Gospels").  The  word  may  mean  only  Discourses, 
but  this  is  not  its  necessary  idea,  as  may  be  seen  from 
Rom.  3:2.  It  is  clear  here  that  "Oracles  of  God"  in- 
cludes narrative  as  well  as  discourse.  The  discovery  of  the 
"Sayings  of  Jesus "  at Oxyrhynchus ^  has  thrown  no  great 
amount  of  light  on  the  subject.  They  are  too  fragmentary 
to  be  conclusive  and  most  certainly  do  not  represent  por- 
tions of  the  Logia  of  Matthew  aUuded  to  by  Papias.  In 
itself  the  term  admits  the  appHcation  to  a  book  like  the 
present  Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  if  the  other  facts 
called  for  that  conclusion.'  The  most  likely  theory  would 
be  that  the  Logia  of  Matthew  was  chiefly  a  collection  of 
Sayings  of  Jesus  with  the  minimum  of  narrative,  just  as 
Mark  is  mainly  narrative  with  the  minimum  of  discourse. 
This  is  borne  out  by  a  comparison  of  the  portions  of  Mat- 
thew and  Luke  which  seem  to  draw  on  this  non-Markan 
document.  But  it  has  to  be  admitted  that  the  relations 
of  the  Greek  Matthew  and  Luke  to  the  Aramaic  Logia 
of  Matthew  are  by  no  means  so  certain  as  seems  to  be  the 
case  with  respect  to  the  use  of  Mark.^  We  may  be  sure 
that  Luke  had  access  to  material  not  in  the  hands  of  the 
author  of  the  Greek  Matthew  and  vice  versa.  But  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  non-Markan  sections  of  Matthew 
and  Luke  seem  to  come  from  the  same  or  a  similar  docu- 
ment. Harnack^  prefers  in  a  severely  scientific  way,  as 
does  Wellhausen,^  to  call  this  document  "Q"  (Ger. 
Quelky  source),  which  has  the  advantage  of  not  discussing 
file  question  of  the  Aramaic  Logia  of  Matthew  at  all. 

>  Grenfell  and  Hunt,  Sayings  of  Our  Lord  (1897) ;  C.  Taylor,  The  Oxyrhynchus 
Sayings  0/ Jesus.     1903  ''Plximmer,  Comm.  on  Matt.,  p.  xvi. 

*  The  Sayings  0/  Jesus,  p.  v.  *  Einleiling  in  d.  drei  ersten  Evangdien,  S.  67. 


14 


INTRODUCTION 


So  by  Q  is  meant  strictly  that  portion  of  the  Logia  of 
Matthew  used  by  both  Matthew  and  Luke. 

This  second  source  of  Matthew  and  Luke,  accepting 
Mark  as  the  first  and  main  one,  is  not  the  only  other  source. 
But  it  is  possible  to  gain  a  tolerably  clear  idea  of  this  com- 
mon source  and  also  to  identify  it  with  the  Logia  of  Mat- 
thew with  a  fair  degree  of  probabiHty.  This  new  material 
is  not  found  in  Mark,  but  is  present  in  both  Matthew  and 
Luke,  some  of  it  in  identical  language.  Some  of  this  com- 
mon material  may  have  come  from  oral  tradition,  some 
from  other  written  sources.^  Allen  does  not  claim  as  much 
material  for  Q  as  do  Hawkins  and  Hamack.  The  question 
is  an  open  one,  to  be  sure,  and  necessarily  hypothetical. 
The  lists  of  Hawkins  ^  and  Hamack  ^  are  here  given  for 
what  they  are  worth. 

Hawkins  (followed  below)  makes  72  sections  common 
to  Matthew  and  Luke  from  Q,  while  Hamack  makes  out 
59.    The  difference  is  due  to  Sie  method  of  grouping. 

Portions  of  the  Greek  Matthew  from  Q  or  the  Aramaic 


Matthew 

LUKJC 

3 : 7-10 

3:7-9 

3 -.12 

3:17 

4:3-11 

'  4:3-13 

5  :  3>  4,  6 

6 :  20b,  21 

5:11,12 

6:22,23 

5:13 

14:34,35 

S:i8 

16: 17 

5:25,26 

12 :  58,  59 

5 :  39,  40, 

42, 

44- 

-48 

6:29,  30,  27,  28,  35b,  32,  33,  36 

6 : 9,  loa. 

II, 

12, 

13a 

II :  2-4 

6:20,  21 

12 :33b,  34 

6:22,23 

11:34,35 

6:  24 

16:13 

6:25-33 

12:22-31 

»  Allen,  Comm.  on  Matt.,  pp.  xli  ff.  «  Hor<e  SynopHae,  pp.  88  ff. 

»  Sayings  of  Jesus,  pp.  127  ff. 

IS 


INTRODUCTION 


Matthew 

Luke 

7 : 1,  2b 

6 :  37a,  38b 

7:3-5 

6:41,42 

7:7-11 

11:9-11,  13 

7:12 

6:31 

7 :  13,  14 

13:23,  24  (?) 

7:22,  23 

13:23-27  (??) 

7:24-27 

6 : 47-49 

7:28a 

7:1a 

8:5-10,  13 

7 :  ib-io 

8:11,  12 

13 :  28,  29 

8 : 19-22 

9:57-60 

9:37,38 

10:  2 

10:7 

9:2 

10 :  lob 

10:  7b 

10:12,13 

10:5,6 

10:15 

.10: 12 

10 :  i6a 

10:3 

10: 24,  25a 

6:40 

10:26 

12:  2 

10:27-33 

12 : 3-9 

10:34-36 

12 :  51-53 

10:37 

I4:26(??) 

10:38 

14:27 

10 :  40 

10: 16 

II :  2-11 

7 :  18-28 

11:12,  13 

16:16 

II :  16-19 

7:31-35 

II :  21-24 

10:13-15,  12 

12:  27,  28 

12: 19,  20 

12:30 

11:23 

12  :  38,  39,  41,  42 

II :  16,  29-32 

12:43-45 

II :  24-26 

13:16,17 

10 : 23b,  24 

13:33 

13:20,  21 

15 :  14b 

6:39b 

(16:2,3) 

12:54-56  (??) 

16 

INTRODUCTION 


Matthew  Luke 

17:  20b  17:6  (?) 

18:7  17:1 

18:12,13  15:4,5,7 

18:15,21,22  17:3,4 

19:28  22:  28-30  (?) 

(21:44)  2o:i8(?) 

23:4  11:46 

23  :  12  14:  II 

23:13(0114)  11:52 

23:23  11:42 

23:25  11:39 

23:27  11:44  (?) 

23:29-31  11:47,48 

23:34-36  11:49-51 

23  :  37-39  13  :  34,  35 

24:26-28  17:23,  24,37 

24:37-39  17:26,27 

24:40,41  17:34,35 

24 :  43-5ia  12  :  39,  40,  42-46 

A  simpler  and  less  detailed  comparison  is  presented  by 
Wellhausen.^  Harnack  adds  to  the  above  Matt.  25 :  29 
and  Lk.  19 :  26.  In  broad  outline  this  is  the  matter  con- 
sidered by  modern  critics  as  belonging  to  Q.  Hawkins 
has  given  an  able  discussion  of  the  linguistic  characteristics 
of  each  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels  as  a  whole.^  Harnack^ 
attempts  to  give  a  summary  of  the  characteristics  of  Q. 
He  finds  it  to  consist  mainly  of  the  great  discourses  of 
Jesus  (portions  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  5-7;  the 
address  to  the  Apostles,  10 :  5-42 ;  the  group  of  parables, 
13 ;  the  discourses  in  18 ;  the  parables  of  warning  of  the 
last  day  of  public  teaching,  21:28-22:14;  the  woes 
against  the  Pharisees,  23 ;  portions  of  the  discourse  on 
last  things,  24  and  25).  The  chief  interest  centres  in  the 
commands  of  Jesus  and  the  personality  of  the  Lord.    He 

»  EinUitung,  S.  66.       *  Hora  Synoptka,  pp.  1-41.       »  Sayings  of  Jesus,  pp.  229  ff. 
C  17 


INTRODUCTION 


considers  it  a  document  of  the  highest  antiquity,  older 
indeed  than  the  Gospel  according  to  Mark.^  He  thinks 
that  in  all  probabiUty  it  is  a  work  of  Matthew.^  He  holds 
that  it  belongs  to  Palestine  while  Mark  wrote  his  Gospel 
in  Rome.  He  sees  no  literary  relationship  between  the 
two.  On  the  narrative  basis  of  Mark  (the  Petrine  tra- 
dition) has  been  placed  the  portrait  of  Jesus  by  the  Apostle 
Matthew.  In  Q  Hamack  finds  "  the  central  theme  of  the 
message  of  our  Lord,  that  is,  the  revelation  of  the  knowledge 
of  God,  and  the  moral  call  to  repent  and  to  believe,  to 
renounce  the  world  and  to  gain  heaven."  He  thinks  that 
Q  "found  its  grave  in  the  Gospels  of  St.  Matthew  and  St. 
Luke."  He  places  a  higher  value  on  Q  than  does  Well- 
hausen,  who  seeks  to  disparage  it  by  means  of  Mark.^  But 
a  juster  comparison  between  Q  and  Mark  is  made  by  Har- 
nack."*  It  is  to  be  added  that  in  what  is  ascribed  to  Q  in 
Matthew  and  Luke,  some  portions  may  be  true  indeed  in 
the  Markan  sections.^  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  Luke 
has  made  use  of  all  of  Q  nor  is  it  necessary  to  infer  that 
every  portion  of  Q  is  preserved  in  Matthew.  As  will  be 
presently  seen,  it  is  entirely  possible  that  the  Logia  of 
Matthew  was  much  larger  than  the  portions  used  in  com- 
mon by  both  Matthew  and  Luke.  In  particular  the  Greek 
Matthew  may  have  drawn  a  good  deal  of  his  special  ma- 
terial from  Q.     Cf.  Allen,  Comm.,  p.  Ivii  ff. 

Some  parts  of  Mark,  though  small  on  the  whole,  were  not 
incorporated  in  either  Matthew  or  Luke.  It  is  not  clear 
what  was  the  order  of  the  narrative  and  discourses  in  Q. 
Matthew  is  so  largely  topical  in  arrangement  that  little 
can  be  justly  concluded  from  his  order.  Luke  is  more 
generally  chronological,  as  we  can  see  from  comparison 
with  Mark.  Probably  Luke's  order  for  Q  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred as  a  rule.  It  cannot,  however,  be  shown  for  certain 
that  Matthew  has  elsewhere  grouped  into  single  discourses 
various  addresses  that  were  really  spoken  on  separate 

»  Sayings  of  Jesus,  pp.  246  f.  '  Ibid.,  p.  24Q.  »  Einleitung,  S.  73  seq. 

*  Sayings  0/  Jesus,  pp.  193  fif.         '  Hawkins,  Horce  Synoptica,  p.  88. 


x8 


INTRODUCTION 


occasions  according  to  Luke's  order.  The  reason  for  this 
uncertainty  Hes  in  the  fact  that  popular  speakers  and 
teachers  so  often  deliver  the  same  sermons  and  addresses 
in  different  places  and  at  different  times.  Apart  from  all 
this  Luke  has  another  source  (probably  several)  for  much 
material  not  in  Mark  and  Matthew. 

3.  Other  Sources  for  the  Greek  Matthew.  The  way  may 
have  seemed  reasonably  clear  so  far,  but  now  we  come  to 
the  realm  of  pure  conjecture.  If  we  may  appeal  to  the 
example  of  Luke  (i :  1-4),  we  may  feel  assured  that  one  so 
skilful  and  competent,  as  the  writer  of  the  Greek  Matthew 
evidently  was,  would  make  diligent  use  of  all  the  reHable 
material  at  hand.  He  wrote  at  a  time  when  various 
sketches  of  the  work  and  words  of  Jesus  had  been  written. 
Several  of  the  Apostles  were  still  alive.  Christian  tra- 
ditions were  fresh  and  strong  and  clear.  As  he  wrote  in 
Palestine,  many  original  sources  of  information  were  open 
to  him.  There  is  at  any  rate  a  considerable  body  of  ma- 
terial in  the  Greek  Matthew  not  in  Mark  and  Luke,  i.e, 
a  portion  of  this  wanting  in  Q  as  well  as  in  Mark.  He  may 
have  had  access  to  a  collection  of  quotations  from  the  Old 
Testament,^  but  this  is  by  no  means  certain.  Both  Mat- 
thew I,  2  and  Luke  i,  2  record  the  birth  of  Jesus,  but 
it  seems  clear  that  they  used  different  sources  for  their 
narratives.2  In  the  case  of  Luke  the  story  is  told  from 
the  standpoint  of  Mary,  while  in  Matthew  that  of  Joseph 
is  given,  each  with  great  delicacy.  Luke  may  have  known, 
while  in  Caesarea  with  Paul,  one  of  the  group  of  women 
near  to  Mary.  Mary  may  indeed  herself  have  left  a  docu- 
ment in  Aramaic.  In  the  case  of  Matthew  it  is  not  im- 
possible that  this  narrative  was  in  Q  except  that  Luke's 
use  of  a  different  story  would  thus  be  difficult  to  explain. 
But  evidently  the  narrative  is  ancient  and  comes  ulti- 
mately from  Joseph  himself.  Both  narratives  find  their 
justification  as  answers  to  the  Jewish  slanders  then  cur- 
rent concerning  the  birth  of  Jesus.    The  story  of  the 

1  Plummer,  Cotnm.,  p.  xi.  2  Ibid.,  p.  3. 

19 


INTRODUCTION 


Virgin  Birth  is  assumed  in  John  i :  14  and  in  Paul's  Epistles, 
though  absent  from  Mark.  Allen  ^  in  his  list  of  passages 
in  the  Greek  Matthew  not  explained  by  the  use  of  Mark  or 
Q  gives  various  "editorial  notes."  He  means  that  besides 
other  documents  and  oral  tradition  the  author  expresses 
his  individual  opinion  on  various  points.  This  is  entirely 
possible.  But,  even  so,  this  opinion  may  be  the  result  of 
research  and  be  an  entirely  competent  induction  from  the 
facts.  Besides,  one  must  remember  that  he  is  likely  to  be 
quite  mistaken  in  labelling  a  given  remark  "editorial  note." 
The  list  of  Allen  is  given  below. 

Passages  in  Matthew  alone. 
I  and  2  9 : 27-36 

3:14-15  10:2a 

4 :  13-16  10 :  5b-8 

4 :  23-25  10 : i6b 

5:1,2,4  .  10:23 

5:5,7-10  10:25b,  36 

5:13a,  14  10:41 

5:16,17  11:1,14,20 

5:19-24  11:28-30 

5 :  27,  28  12 : 5-7 

5:3i-39a  12:11,  12a 

5:41,43  12:17-21 

6: 1-8  12  :  22,  23 

6:iob,  13b  12:36,37 

6 :  16-18  12 :  45b 

6:34  13:14,15 

7:6,  12b  13:24-30,35 

7:15  '        13:36-43 

7  :  19-22  13 :  44-53 

7 :  28a  14 :  28-31 

8:1,5a  15:12,13 

8:17  15:23-25 

9:13a  15:30,31 

9 :  26  16 :  2b,  3 

'  Comtn.,  p.  I  ff. 
20 


INTRODUCTION 

i6: lib, 12 

22 :  33,  34 

i6: 17-19 
16: 22b 
17:6,7 

22:40 

23 : 1-3 

23 '  5,  7b-io 

17:13 

23 :  15-22 

17 :  20,  24-27 

23 :  24,  28,  32,  33 

18:3,4,  10 

24: 10-12,  20 

18: 14,  16-20 

24 :  30a 

18 :  23-25 

25:13 

19:  la 

25 :  14-30 

19:9 

25 : 31-46 

19: 10-12 
19:28 
20 : 1-16 

26:1,44 

26:50 

26:52-54 

21:4,5 

27 : 3-10 

21 :  10,  II 

27 :  19,  24,  25 

21 :  14 
21 :  15b,  16 
21 :  19b 
21:28-32 

27 :  36,  43 
27 :  5ib-53 
27 :  62-66 
28 :  ib-4 

21:43,44 
22 : 1-14 

28:11-15 
28 :  16-20 

It  is  not  claimed  by  Allen  that  quite  all  of  this  comes 
from  unknown  manuscripts.  He  picks  out  several  pas- 
sages as  editorial  notes  like  3:14-15;  4:23-25;  etc. 
Others  consist  of  quotations  from  the  O.  T.  like  4 :  13-16 ; 
8 :  17 ;  12  :  17-21;  etc.  Nor  can  it  be  affirmed  positively 
that  none  of  these  sections  came  from  Q  (the  Logia  of 
Matthew).  We  can  compare  Mark  with  Matthew  for 
the  Markan  sections,  but  no  such  comparison  is  possible 
for  Q  and  the  Greek  Matthew,  except  where  Liike  also 
uses  Q.  Hence  Allen  ^  credits  a  large  part  of  the  passages 
given  above  to  the  Logia  of  Matthew,  those  like  5  :  3-7  :  27 ; 
8 :  II,  12  ;  9 :  37,  38;  etc.  But  he  frankly  admits  the  doubt 
about  the  whole  matter. 

^  Comm.,  pp.  Ivfi  £. 
21 


INTRODUCTION 


In  Hastings'  D.  C.  G.,  in  the  article  on  Matthew,  Allen 
suggests  that  the  narrative  in  Chapters  i  and  2  does  not 
come  from  the  Logia.  The  same  thing  may  be  true  of 
14 :  28-31 ;  17  :  24-27  ;  27  :  3-10,  19,  24,  25,  51-53,  62-66 ; 
28 :  11-15.  It  is  held  also  that  the  O.  T.  quotations  of  a 
"peculiar  type"  with  a  special  formula  come  from  a  catena 
of  Messianic  passages.  This  is  possible,  but  by  no  means 
certain.  Cf.  i :  22,  23  ;  2:5,  6,  15,  17,  18,  23  ;  4 :  14-16 ; 
8:17;  12:17-21;    13:35;    21:4,  5;    27:9. 

It  is  hardly  possible  on  grounds  of  the  Palestinian  char- 
acter of  Q  to  decide  clearly  what  part  of  the  non-Markan 
sections  of  Matthew  belong  to  Q  and  what  come  from 
other  sources.  In  the  end,  therefore,  we  come  to  a  point 
quite  open  to  debate.  It  is  becoming  in  one  to  be  modest 
in  the  statements  here,  as  indeed  on  the  whole  Synoptic 
Problem. 

It  will  probably  never,  be  possible  to  label  every  section 
of  the  Greek  Matthew  with  the  name  of  its  source,  granting 
that  this  theory  is  correct.  Nor  indeed  is  it  necessary. 
The  author  made  use  of  the  best  sources  at  hand,  as  every 
good  historian  does.  When  a  book  is  finished,  the  marks 
of  the  scholarly  work  are  found  rather  in  the  finish  of  the 
whole  than  in  seams  which  may  betray  the  sources  of  the 
material.  And  the  ancients  were  not  slaves  to  quotation 
marks  and  footnotes,  as  we  moderns  are. 

According  to  Burton  (Principles  of  Literary  Criticism 
and  the  Synoptic  Problem,  p.  53)  "the  sources  of  Matt, 
are  the  Matthaean  Logia,  Mark,  the  Galilean  document, 
and  the  Perean  document,  besides  certain  minor  sources." 
Burton  restricts  the  Logia  of  Matthew  entirely  to  the  Greek 
Matthew  and  for  the  material  common  to  Matthew  and 
Luke  he  supposes  two  documents,  one  a  Galilean  docu- 
ment, one  a  Perean  document.  It  is  an  ably  presented 
theory,  but  illustrates  again  the  absence  of  certainty  among 
critics  in  the  realm  of  the  Synoptic  Problem.  Burton's 
theory  is  adopted  by  Sharman  in  his  Teaching  of  Jestcs 
about  the  Future. 

22 


INTRODUCTION 


VI.  The  Unity  of  the  Book 

One  must  not  imagine  that  the  result  is  a  mere  patch- 
work in  the  Greek  Matthew.  On  the  contrary,  the  writer, 
whether  Matthew  himself  or  another  author,  has  shown 
great  ability  in  his  use  of  the  historical  material.  He  has 
made  a  coherent  whole,  and  his  own  stamp  is  on  the  book 
throughout.  In  particular  in  the  Markan  passages  a  very 
great  number  of  minor  and  some  major  changes  are  made 
to  suit  the  book.  The  author  is  not  a  mere  compiler.  He 
has  assimilated  his  material  and  made  abundant  use  of 
reliable  sources.  He  wrote  early  enough  to  have  been 
himself  a  participant  in  the  scenes  of  which  he  writes, 
though  this  is  by  no  means  necessary.  The  proof  of  the 
imity  of  the  book  can  best  be  shown  when  we  come  to  the 
characteristics  of  the  Gospel  as  a  whole.  This  is  not  to 
say  that  the  Markan,  Logian,  and  other  sections  of 
the  Gospel  do  not  show  some  special  characteristic.  But 
they  are  due  largely  to  the  material  used  rather  than  to  the 
style  preserved.  The  style  has  the  mark  of  the  author. 
Where  Matthew  and  Luke  use  the  same  material  it  is 
usually  different  in  many  points.  It  is  surely  not  to  the 
discredit  of  the  unknown  author  if  he  made  use  of  the 
Logia  of  Matthew,  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  and  the  best  oral 
traditions  of  the  time  with  lus  own  knowledge  from  various 
sources  to  give  a  comprehensive  survey  of  the  words  and 
deeds  of  Jesus.^ 

Is  it  unscientific  also  to  recall  the  promise  of  Jesus  re- 
corded in  the  Gospel  of  John  (14 :  26)  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
would  bring  to  the  remembrance  of  the  disciples  (oral 
tradition)  much  that  they  had  forgotten  or  misunderstood  ? 

VII.  Date  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew 

It  is  not  possible  to  claim  certainty  for  the  date  of  the 
Gospel  according  to  Matthew.    The  very  late  date  is  held 

»  Cf.  B.  Weiss,  Comm.  on  the  N.  T.,  1906,  Vol.  I,  p.  xv. 
23 


INTRODUCTION 


by  few  scholars  now  since  Harnack  ^  places  it  about  70-75 
A.D.  The  question  is  a  complicated  one.  If  the  Greek 
Matthew  used  Mark  and  the  Aramaic  Logia  of  Matthew, 
then  we  have  a  limit  on  one  side.  If  the  Greek  Matthew 
was  used  by  Luke,  we  should  have  a  limit  on  the  other. 
But  the  relation  between  the  Greek  Matthew  and  Luke's 
Gospel  is  not  clear  enough  to  form  a  decisive  basis  for  ar- 
gument. Luke  did  use  the  Aramaic  Logia.  He  may 
have  used  the  Greek  Matthew  also.  But  the  date  of  Luke's 
GU)spel  is  again  in  question.  It  is  possible  indeed  that  the 
Logia  of  Matthew  is  earlier  than  the  Gospel  of  Mark. 
Matthew  wrote  in  Palestine  and  Mark  in  Rome  without 
any  connection.  There  is  a  story  among  the  early  writers 
that  the  Apostles  tarried  in  Jerusalem  twelve  years  after 
the  death  of  Christ  (a.d.  29  or  30).  If  so,  Matthew  left 
Jerusalem  a.d.  41  or  42.^  But  Peter  and  James  soon  re- 
appear in  Jerusalem  (Acts  12),  about  a.d.  44. 

This  is  a  rather  precarious  basis  for  contending  that  the 
Logia  of  Matthew  was  written  before  a.d.  42.  The  thing 
is  possible  in  itself,  but  hardly  capable  of  proof.  Irenaeus 
{H(Br.  iii.  i.  i)  gives  date  for  all  the  Gospels.  He  is  not 
very  certain  about  the  matter.  He  names  a.d.  61-66  for 
Matthew,  66  or  67  for  Mark,  Luke  somewhat  later.  But 
even  so  it  is  not  clear  whether  Irenaeus  has  in  mind  the 
Greek  or  the  Aramaic  Matthew.  It  is  most  likely  that  the 
present  Matthew  is  the  one  that  he  has  in  mind.  But  if 
he  is  right  about  that  he  is  wrong  about  Mark,  if  modem 
criticism  is  correct  in  putting  Mark  before  the  Greek 
Matthew.  There  is  no  real  reason  why  both  the  Logia 
of  Matthew  and  Mark  may  not  have  been  written  before 
60  A.D.  The  apocalyptic  discourse  in  Matt.  24  and  25 
is  appealed  to  as  decisive  on  the  matter  of  the  date  of  the 
Greek  Matthew.  Maclean  ^  argues  strongly  that  the  First 
Gospel  must  have  been  written  before  the  fall  of  Jerusalem, 

»  Chron.,  pp.  6soH3s6.    See  table  of  dates  in  Moffatt's  Historical  N.  T.,  p.  273. 
-^n "  ~ 


«  Cf.  David  Smith,  Matthew  in  Westminster  N.  T.,  p.  8 
»  Hastings'  one-vol.  D.  B.,  Art.  "Matthew  " 

24 


INTRODUCTION 


since  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  the  end  of  the  world 
are  blended  in  a  fashion  not  possible  after  that  great  event. 
On  the  other  hand,  JiiUcher  ^  concludes  that  a  date  sub- 
sequent to  70  A.D.  is  "proved  by  verse  22." 2  Allen  and 
Plummer  both  contend  that  the  date  is  just  before  or  just 
after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  since  the  subject  is  so 
prominent  in  the  book.  In  simple  truth,  the  argiunent 
can  be  turned  either  way.  For  myself  I  should  say  that 
the  date  is  not  later  than  70  a.d.  and  most  likely  much 
earlier,  how  much  earlier  we  have  no  means  of  knowing. 
But  a  great  many  of  the  greatest  names  in  modern  scholar- 
ship favor  a  date  around  70  a.d.  for  the  Greek  Matthew. 

VIII.  The  Historical  Value  of  the  First  Gospel 

If  the  Gospel  was  written  in  Aramaic  by  Matthew  the 
Apostle  and  translated  by  himself  or  another,  it  bears  the 
value  of  the  work  of  an  Apostle  and  an  eye-witness.  If 
it  was  com.posed  freely  by  Matthew  in  Greek,  the  same 
credit  belongs  to  the  book.  But  if,  as  is  assumed  in  this 
discussion,  the  First  Gospel  is  later  than  the  Aramaic 
Logia  and  Mark's  Gospel,  some  may  feel  that  the  book 
hardly  stands  on  a  par  with  the  work  of  an  Apostle  or  of 
an  eye-witness.  But  that  conclusion  by  no  means  follows. 
The  Markan  portion  of  the  book  has  on  the  whole  as  much 
value  in  the  Greek  Matthew  as  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark. 
The  changes  are  not  serious  enough  to  disparage  the  worth 
of  the  material  used.  Indeed  at  this  point  the  worth  of 
Matthew  can  be  tested  with  care.  The  changes  made  are 
in  line  with  the  purpose  of  the  book,  as  is  true  of  all  good 
histories.  The  credibility  of  Mark,  with  the  vivid  touches 
of  an  eye-witness  (Simon  Peter),  so  frequent  throughout 
the  book,  is  one  of  the  accepted  canons  of  criticism.  The 
same  test  cannot  be  appUed  to  all  of  the  Aramaic  Logia. 

» Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  p.  309. 

*  "  But  the  kin^  was  wroth ;  and  he  sent  his  armies  and  destroyed  those  murderers 
and  burned  their  aty." 

25 


INTRODUCTION 


But  the  portions  used  by  both  Matthew  and  Luke  (Q), 
while  handled  with  great  independence  in  the  two  Gospels, 
reveal  much  pains  in  reporting  the  words  of  Jesus.  One 
is  reassured  that  the  full  value  of  this  document  is  repro- 
duced. Here,  then,  we  can  lean  upon  Matthew  the  Apos- 
tle and  an  eye-witness.  In  the  portions  not  from  Mark 
nor  from  Q  we  have  all  the  strength  of  that  oral  tradition 
(provided  no  other  documents  were  used)  which  was  once 
so  confidently  appealed  to  as  sufficient  explanation  for  both 
likeness  and  dissimilarities  in  the  Synoptic  Gospels.  So 
then  the  net  result  of  the  criticism  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels 
is  to  bring  the  subject  out  of  the  clouds  and  to  put  the 
whole  matter  upon  a  more  solid  basis  than  ever  before. 
The  case  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew  is  to  be  com- 
pared with  that  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Luke.  We 
happen  to  know  who  he  is  and  we  have  another  book  by 
him.  Moreover,  in  his  Prologue  (Lk.  i :  1-4)  he  tells 
something  of  his  method  of  research  and  his  pains  to  be 
accurate.  We  know  also  that  Luke  used  some  of  the  same 
sources  that  lie  behind  the  Greek  Matthew.  We  can 
judge  of  their  relative  merits  as  historians.  They  write 
from  different  standpoints  and  with  different  aims ;  each 
is  consistent  in  his  own  way.  They  vary  in  many  details, 
and  this  shows  their  independence  and  adds  force  to  their 
testimony.  But  the  day  has  passed  when  the  Gospels 
can  be  waved  aside  as  mere  collections  of  legends.  The 
supernatural  element  is  in  the  Aramaic  Logia  as  well  as  in 
Mark.  The  Greek  Matthew  and  Luke  are  not  alone  re- 
sponsible for  that.  The  closer  we  get  to  the  historic  Jesus 
the  surer  we  feel  that  he  lived  and  wrought  as  he  is  re- 
ported in  the  Synoptic  Gospels.  It  is  mere  prejudice  to 
refuse  the  witness  of  Matthew  on  the  ground  of  the  miracles 
of  Jesus  here  narrated.^ 

1  Cf.  Allen,  Comm.,  Mp.  309  ff- 


26 


INTRODUCTION 


IX.  The  Purpose  of  the  Gospel  according  to 
Matthew 

It  is  clearly  not  to  present  a  complete  account  of  the  life 
and  teaching  of  Jesus.  No  one  of  the  Gospels  does  that. 
Each  Gospel  represents  a  selection  of  material  for  a  par- 
ticular purpose.  Mark's  Gospel  begins  with  the  work  of 
the  Baptist,  but  after  the  temptation  of  Jesus  it  turns  to 
the  great  Galilean  ministry  and  follows  the  main  events 
till  the  resurrection.  This  narrative,  written  probably 
for  the  Roman  world,  is  itself  a  bare  outline  of  the  chief 
incidents  in  the  Hfe  of  Christ.  It  cannot  be  accordingly 
assumed  to  be  the  full  record  to  the  discredit  of  what  other 
writers  may  tell.  It  is  largely  an  objective  narrative,  but 
with  a  limited  field. 

The  Gospel  of  Luke  is  professedly  the  result  of  selection 
from  a  large  amount  of  original  material  both  written  and 
oral.  The  historian's  method  and  the  historian's  aim  are 
manifest  in  this  Gospel  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Greek 
Christian  world. 

The  Gospel  of  John,  the  spiritual  Gospel,  was  written  last 
of  all,  and  supplements  the  material  already  given  by  a 
small  number  of  wonderful  events  and  dialogues  which 
bring  out  more  distinctly  the  divine  side  of  Christ's  nature 
and  work  and  the  identity  in  person  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
and  the  Son  of  God,  the  Preincarnate  Word  (Jn.  i :  i, 
14,  18). 

The  Gospel  of  Matthew  is  written  in  a  Jewish  Christian 
atmosphere  and  for  the  particular  benefit  of  the  Jewish 
Christians.  It  is  not  Pharisaic  nor  Judaizing,  but  has  a 
full,  rich  message  for  the  Jewish  Christians,  who  are  also  in 
sympathy  with  the  world  movements  of  Christianity  among 
the  Gentiles  (cf.  Peter  and  James  at  the  Jerusalem  Con- 
ference, Gal.  2:  8  ff.). 

In  a  sense,  therefore,  each  Gospel  is  an  apologetic,  an 
interpretation  of  Jesus  for  the  benefit  of  those  Christians 
in  a  particular  crisis.    If  Mark  has  in  mind  the  need  of  the 

27 


INTRODUCTION 


Roman  Christians  in  the  world  metropolis,  Luke  has  in 
mind  the  Greek  Christian  world  created  by  the  work  of 
Paul.  If  John,  like  a  theologian,  wishes  to  interpret  Christ 
for  a  generation  in  peril  from  the  subtleties  of  incipient 
Gnosticism,  Matthew  speaks  to  those  who  need  to  dis- 
criminate between  Pharisaic  formalism,  which  had  cruci- 
fied Jesus  and  hindered  Paul's  work,  and  the  true  spiritual 
Judaism  which  had  its  connection  with  the  teaching  of  the 
Old  Testament  rather  than  with  those  who  sat  in  Moses' 
seat  to  the  dishonor  of  Moses.  But  the  fact  that  the  Gos- 
pels were  written  with  a  purpose  does  not  rob  them  of 
value.  On  the  contrary,  every  history  worth  reading  is 
written  with  a  purpose.  A  mere  chronicle  of  details  is 
not  history.  The  figure  of  Jesus  is  too  great  for  one  book 
or  one  man,  indeed  for  all  books,  if  we  may  beheve  the  last 
Gospel  (Jn.  21 :  25).  John  had  probably  read  the  other 
Gospels  and  now  had  added  his  own  to  the  number.  He 
had  heard  others  who,  like  himself,  knew  Jesus  in  the  flesh, 
tell  their  story  of  the  Christ.  In  John's  opinion  one  and 
all  had  fallen  short  of  the  truth.  To  say  this  is  not  to  find 
fault  with  the  Gospels.  Of  necessity  they  must  be  partial 
and  even  one-sided.  One  can  see  only  one  side  of  a  moun- 
tain at  a  time.  It  is  needful,  therefore,  to  combine  the 
Four  Gospels  into  one.  Even  so  the  picture  of  the  Saviour 
is  incomplete.  But  it  is  the  most  wonderful  portrait  in 
all  the  world.  The  charm  of  these  Gospels  survives  all 
criticism,  all  comment. 

Even  Renan  called  Matthew's  Gospel  "the  most  impor- 
tant book  of  Christendom  —  the  most  important  book 
which  has  ever  been  written."  It  matters  little  if  men 
call  his  literary  method  artificial.  He  accomplished  the 
purpose  which  he  had  in  mind.  That  is  all  that  can  be 
rightly  demanded  of  any  author. 

The  author  seeks  to  prove  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  though 
rejected  and  crucified  by  the  Jewish  people,  is  in  reality 
the  Messiah  of  promise,  the  true  Son  of  David,  the  long- 
looked  for  Hope  of  Israel.    To  the  Christians  that  was  a 

28 


INTRODUCTION 


plain  proposition.  This  was  the  line  of  argument  used 
by  Peter  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  (Acts  2  :  36),  by  Stephen 
in  his  defence  before  the  Sanhedrin  (7  :  52),  by  Paul  to  the 
Jews  at  Thessalonica  (17:3)  and  elsewhere.  It  was  an 
argument  designed  for  the  conviction  and  conversion  of 
Jews,  and  the  strengthening  of  the  faith  of  the  Jewish 
Christians.  The  First  Gospel  would  at  once  become  a 
powerful  document  for  use  among  the  Jews.  The  line  of 
argument  against  the  Jewish  Christians  is  answered  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  written  not  far  from  the  same  time 
as  the  Greek  Matthew  and  possibly  to  the  same  people. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  take  Matt,  i :  i  as  the  title  of  the 
entire  book,  though  that  is  possible  in  itself.^ 

It  probably  presents  merely  the  genealogy  of  Jesus,  given 
to  prove  his  Abrahamic  and  Davidic  descent.  He  belonged 
to  the  covenant  people  and  was  the  true  successor  to  the 
royal  line  of  David  (i :  1-16).  Hence  he  was  born  King 
of  the  Jews  (2  :  2),  of  a  Virgin  by  the  Holy  Spirit  (i :  20,  22) 
and  so  really  God  among  men  (i :  23),  Son  of  God  (2  :  15), 
and  Son  of  man  (16 :  13).  He  entered  Jerusalem  as  a 
King  (21 : 4  f.)  and  "died  as  a  claimant  to  royal  power" 
(27  : 1 1,  29). 2  In  a  word  it  is  the  true  Messiahship  of  Jesus 
that  this  Gospel  sets  forth.  This  fact  explains  the  fre- 
quent appeal  to  prophecy  about  which  more  will  need  to 
be  said.  Hence  arise  in  large  measure  the  distinctive  char- 
acteristics of  the  Gospel  which  must  now  be  considered. 

X.  Characteristics 

I.  Jewish,  hut  not  Judaizing.  "Nothing  is,  however, 
more  mistaken  than  to  regard  the  Jewish  Christian  who 
climg  to  the  Old  Testament  as  a  bigoted  Israelite  and  anti- 
Pauline."  ^  This  is  finely  said.  It  is  a  gross  misrepresen- 
tation to  treat  James,  Peter,  and  John  as  the  "false  breth- 
ren" whom  Paul  so  bitterly  denoimced  (Gal.  2:4).    The 

»  Cf.  Zahn,  Introduction  to  N.  T.,  Vol.  II,  p.  S3i-  '  Allen,  Comm.,  p.  Levi. 

»  Jiilicher,  Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  p.  311. 

29 


INTRODUCTION 


cordial  agreement  between  Paul  the  Apostle  of  the  uncir- 
cumcision  and  Peter  the  Apostle  of  the  circumcision  (Gal. 
2:7  f. ;  Acts  15 :  7-13)  ought  to  have  prevented  such  a 
misapprehension.  James,  Peter,  and  Jolm  stood  with  Paul 
and  Barnabas  against  the  Judaizers  who  had  brought  so  much 
trouble  to  the  cause  in  Antioch  and  later  all  over  the  world. 

In  a  sense  all  Christianity  is  Jewish  in  origin  though 
finally  supplanting  Judaism.  But  the  Gospel  of  Matthew 
represents  the  point  of  view  of  the  Palestinian  Christians, 
who  loved  the  Mosaic  institutions,  even  when  they  foresaw 
their  ultimate  decay.  This  Judaistic  type  of  teaching  is 
seen  in  the  words  of  John  the  Baptist,  of  Jesus  himself, 
in  the  addresses  of  Peter  in  the  Acts  and  in  the  Epistles, 
in  the  Epistle  of  James.  It  is  in  no  sense  a  perversion  of 
pure  Christianity  nor  a  failure  to  see  the  other  side  of  the 
picture  so  powerfully  set  forth  by  Paul.  In  the  Gospel 
of  Matthew  the  world-wide  commission  of  Jesus  is  given. 
The  Judaistic  aspect  of  Christianity  is  true  but  partial. 
The  words  of  Jesus  give  abundant  foundation  for  the 
theology  of  both  James  and  Paul.^  The  love  of  the  author 
of  the  First  Gospel  for  the  Jews  appears  in  many  details, 
such  as  the  use  of  the  terms  "Holy  City"  (4:5;  27 :  53), 
"Holy  Place"  (24 :  15),  "  City  of  the  Great  King"  (5  :  35). 
It  is  rather  in  his  general  purpose  to  present  Jesus  as  the 
fulfiller,  not  the  destroyer,  of  the  Mosaic  Law  (5:17).  He 
claims  that  Jesus,  not  the  Pharisees,  really  represents  the 
spirit  of  the  Old  Testament. 

2.  Anti-Pharisaic.  There  is  a  polemical  tone  in  the 
Gospel  of  Matthew  as  in  the  teaching  of  Jesus,  but  it  is  not 
directed  against  Paul  as  that  of  Jesus  was  not  aimed  at  the 
Jews.  The  Pharisees  in  the  time  of  Jesus  stirred  his  anger. 
Indeed  it  is  one  of  the  astonishing  things  in  this  Gospel  that 
this  Jewish  writer  (Luke  was  probably  a  Gentile,  and  John 
wrote  long  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem),  while 
writing  a  powerful  "historical  apology  of  the  Nazarene"  ^ 

1  Cf.  Hort,  Judaistic  Christianity,  pp.  14-38. 
»  Zahn,  Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  Vol.  11,  p.  560. 

30 


INTRODUCTION 


to  the  Jewish  Christians,  should  also  set  Christ  and  his 
Gk)spel  over  against  the  current  Judaism.  The  culmina- 
tion of  the  struggle  of  Jesus  is  seen  in  Chapter  23,  where 
the  denunciation  is  historic  in  its  grandeur.  But  the  ex- 
posure of  the  Pharisees  in  the  debates  in  21  and  22  is  of 
almost  equal  force.  It  is  a  gathering  storm  that  rever- 
berates all  through  the  Gospel.  John  the  Baptist  called 
the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  "offspring  of  vipers"  (3:  7). 
Jesus  later  used  the  same  terms  of  the  Pharisees  (12 :  34). 
His  favorite  term  for  them  was  "  hypocrites  "(6:2;  23  :  13). 
He  called  them  ** blind  guides"  (15:  14),  "whited  sepul- 
chres "  (23 :  27).  The  Pharisees  plotted  against  Jesus, 
resented  his  violation  of  their  regulations  about  the 
Sabbath,  his  association  with  pubUcans  and  sinners,  his 
independence  of  their  ceremonial  rules  about  meals  and 
many  other  things.  The  Gospel  of  Matthew  tells  most 
about  this  titanic  struggle  and  does  it  with  wonderful 
power.  It  is  even  possible  that  Chapters  i  and  2  are 
meant  to  refute  the  Pharisaic  calumnies  about  the  birth  of 
Jesus. 

3.  Catholic  in  Sympathy.  The  Gospel  of  Luke  is  not 
Anti-Judaic  nor  is  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  anti-Greek. 
"The  Jew  first"  was  the  practice  of  Paul  (Rom.  2 : 9  f.), 
first  in  privilege  and  peril;  but  Paul  went  "also  to  the 
Greek."  This  is  precisely  the  standpoint  of  Jesus  as  pre- 
sented in  the  first  Gospel.  The  twelve  were  indeed  sent 
once  only  "to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel"  (Matt. 
10 : 6)  with  express  prohibition  against  entering  the  land 
of  the  Samaritans  and  the  Gentiles.  But  this  was  a  special 
tour  and  the  commands  applied  only  to  it.  Some  of  these 
injunctions  are  expressly  withdrawn  just  before  Christ's 
death  (Lk.  21:35-38);  and  after  the  resurrection,  while 
on  a  mountain  in  Galilee,  Jesus  likewise  withdrew  the  pro- 
hibition about  working  among  the  Samaritans  and  Gentiles, 
and  the  rather  commanded  the  disciples  to  go  into  the 
whole  world  (Matt.  28 :  19).  Cf.  also  the  Jerusalem  com- 
mission (Lk.  24 :  47 ;  Acts  1:8).   Jesus  himself  taught  in 

31 


INTRODUCTION 


Samaria  (Jn.  4:  5-42).  He  healed  people  from  Tyre  and 
Sidon  (Mk.  3  :  8)  and  labored  in  Decapolis  (Matt.  15  :  29- 
38;  Mk.  7:31  ff.)  and  Iturea  (Matt.  16:13;  17:14). 
The  hesitation  of  Jesus  about  healing  the  daughter  of  the 
Syro-Phcenician  woman  (Matt.  15:21-28)  does  not 
amount  to  hatred  of  the  Gentiles  or  unwillingness  to  bless 
and  help  them.  It  was  an  unwillingness  to  prejudice  his 
ministry  unduly  by  activity  in  Phoenicia. 

The  disappointment  of  Christ  in  the  Jews  will  find  ex- 
pression in  his  prediction,  after  the  final  breach  with  the 
leaders  in  the  Temple,  that  the  Kingdom  will  be  taken  away 
from  the  Jews  and  given  to  the  Gentiles  (Matt.  21 :  43  ff.). 
The  record  of  this  prophecy  no  more  proves  than  that  of  the 
doom  of  Jerusalem  (ch.  24  and  25)  that  Matthew  has 
become  anti- Jewish  in  feehng,  least  of  all  the  willingness 
of  the  Jewish  crowd  to  take  the  blood  of  Jesus  on  their 
heads  (Matt.  27  :  24  f.).  According  to  Matthew's  account 
of  the  teaching  of  Jesus  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  in  harmony 
with  the  Old  Testament,  is  vitally  related  to  the  Jewish 
history. 

In  fact  the  true  Israel,  the  spiritual  Israel,  is  to  include 
Gentile  as  well  as  Jew  and  is  meant  for  the  whole  world. 
He  even  called  this  new  Israel  a  "nation"  (21:43;  cf. 
Paul's  "Commonwealth  of  Israel"  in  Eph.  2 :  12).  They 
will  come  from  the  East  and  the  West  (Matt.  18 :  12). 

4.  Many  Discourses.  The  Gospel  of  Matthew  is  three- 
fourths  sayings  of  Jesus.  It  is  chiefly  in  the  Aramaic  Logia 
portion  that  these  discourses  occur.  It  is  held  by  many 
scholars  that  in  these  extended  addresses  of  Jesus  (5-7; 
10:5-42;  13;  18;  21:28-22:14;  23;  24;  25)  we  have 
gathered  together  into  single  discourses  what  Jesus  really 
spoke  on  various  occasions.  The  fact  that  Luke  reports 
part  of  what  Matthew  has  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
in  other  connections  lends  color  to  the  idea.  It  is  also  in 
harmony  with  the  general  topical  method  in  Matthew's 
Gospel.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  to  be  noted  that 
popular  teachers  and  preachers  often  repeat  their  discourses, 

33 


INTRODUCTION 


illustrations,  and  sayings.  The  element  of  repetition  is 
not  to  be  overlooked  as  a  factor  in  the  work  and  words  of 
Jesus.  Besides,  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  each  of  these 
discourses  has  a  more  or  less  distinctly  marked  local  color 
given  it. 

The  attention  is  directed  to  the  audience  or  place,  to  the 
beginning  and  end  of  the  discourse.  Is  this  localization  of 
the  discourse  merely  the  addition  of  the  EvangeUst? 
There  is  not  room  here  for  minute  discussion  of  the  ques- 
tions involved.  Reference  may  be  made  to  the  preaching 
of  John  the  Baptist  (Matt.  3  : 1-12  ;  Lk.  3  :  3-18),  where 
we  have  extracts  from  the  words  of  the  Baptist  on  various 
occasions,  that  point  being  made  clear  by  both  Matthew 
and  Luke. 

But  when  we  turn  to  Matt.  12  : 1-8  the  time  element  is 
distinct  in  all  the  Synoptic  Gospels.  It  is  presented  as 
one  single  occasion.  So  Matthew  calls  attention  to  the 
beginning  (5:1  f.)  and  the  conclusion  of  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  (7 :  28  f.).  The  same  thing  is  done  about  the 
address  to  the  twelve  when  they  are  sent  on  a  preaching 
tour  (9:  35-10: 1  and  11 :  i).  The  note  of  time  is  even 
more  distinct  in  the  case  of  the  parables  in  Chapter  13. 
See  "on  that  day"  (13 :  i)  and  "when  Jesus  had  finished 
these  parables"  (13:53)  and  Mark's  "on  that  day" 
(4:35).  So  again  Mark  (9 :  33)  is  as  precise  about  the 
place  ("in  the  house")  as  Matthew  is  about  the  time  ("in 
that  hour").  Both  Mark  and  Luke  give  most  of  the  dis- 
course. Matthew,  here  as  in  the  other  instances  above, 
adds  what  the  other  Gospels  do  not  have.  Exactly  this 
situation  is  repeated  in  Matt.  21 :  28-22  :  14.  Mark  and 
Luke  parallel  Matthew  with  almost  all  of  it  save  the  para- 
ble of  the  wedding  garment  in  22 : 1-14.  Then  again  the 
Synoptic  Gospels  run  together  from  Matt.  22 :  15-46. 
Mark  and  Luke  have  a  very  small  part  of  the  denunciation 
of  the  Pharisees  in  Matthew  23,  but  Luke  (20:45)  ex- 
pressly locates  the  discourse  at  the  same  time  with  Mat- 
thew's report.  The  words  given  here  by  Matthew  suit 
»  33 


INTRODUCTION 


nowhere  else  so  well,  and  do  not  occur  in  Luke.  We  are 
obliged  to  accept  Matthew's  longest  report  in  Chapter  23 
as  accurate  or  throw  it  out  altogether.  If  he  is  right  here, 
he  may  be  elsewhere.  In  Matt.  24  Mark  and  Luke  run 
parallel  again  with  Matthew,  except  that  Matthew  adds  a 
few  verses  here  and  there,  while  Mark  and  Luke  do  the 
same  thing. 

Chapter  25  is  unique  (Parables  of  the  Virgins,  the  Tal- 
ents, the  Judgment).  But  here  again  these  parables  be- 
long here  or  nowhere.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  case  for 
grouping  separate  discourses  in  Matthew  is  whittled  down 
to  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  and  the  Parables  in  Chapter 
13.  The  case  for  that  position  is  not  clearly  made  out  in 
these  passages,  especially  against  Matthew's  careful  notes 
of  place  and  audience. 

Votaw  in  Hastings'  D.  B.  makes  an  able  argument  against 
the  unity  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  In  the  matter  of 
parables  in  Chapter  13  the  case  is  much  relieved  by  the 
change  from  the  house  to  the  seashore  and  vice  versa. 

Bartlett  (Hastings'  Z).  5.,  "  Matthew")  thinks  that  in 
the  Aramaic  Logia  these  discourses  existed,  as  connected 
wholes.  The  length  of  these  discourses  has  the  effect  at 
any  rate  of  blending  with  the  general  topical  arrangement 
of  the  book. 

5.  Topical  Arrangement.  This  is  a  fact  and  is  due 
partly  to  the  kind  of  material  employed,  partly  to  the  pur- 
pose in  mind. 

{a)  The  extended  discourses  just  discussed  form  large 
blocks  of  material  in  themselves  (cf.  John  4,  5,  6,  6-10, 
14-17).  It  was  easy  to  gather  around  these  great  dis- 
courses other  blocks  of  material.  Each  group  in  itself  may 
or  may  not  be  a  unit.  But  the  point  in  particular  to  note 
is  that  the  various  groups  are  not  arranged  in  chronological 
order.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
(5-7)  is  placed  near  the  beginning  of  the  Galilean  ministry. 
Here  the  writer  has  not  followed  the  order  of  Mark,  who 
is  usually  chronological,  as  in  Luke  (cf.  1:3).    In  inserting 

34 


INTRODUCTION 


this  block  of  the  Aramaic  Logia  he  has  placed  it  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Galilean  ministry  and  afterwards  gives 
various  details  which  occurred  earlier. 

The  discourse  suits  remarkably  well  as  a  specimen  of 
Christ's  teaching.  In  Chapters  8  and  9  we  find  a  series  of 
miracles,  while  Chapter  10  gives  the  mission  of  the  twelve 
and  13  the  group  of  parables.  It  is  chiefly  from  4 :  12-13 : 
58  that  this  topical  arrangement  appears.  In  the  tempta- 
tion of  Christ,  Matthew's  order  (4 :  i-ii)  is  different  from 
that  of  Luke,  who  probably  follows  the  geographical  out- 
Une.  If  so,  Matthew's  is  probably  the  actual  order,  as  it 
certainly  is  the  logical  one.  In  the  season  of  withdrawal 
(Matt.  14-18)  the  order  is  fairly  chronological,  as  in  the 
rest  of  the  book. 

(b)  Besides,  a  number  of  the  events  discussed  in  Matthew 
are  grouped  around  the  Old  Testament  prophecies,  par- 
ticularly Isaiah,  as  will  be  shown  directly. 

(c)  Use  of  Numbers.  The  plainest  example  of  this  is 
seen  in  i :  2-17  where  (1:17)  attention  is  called  to  the 
grouping  of  the  genealogy  into  three  fourteens.  It  is  pos- 
sible to  find  many  other  numerical  arrangements  in  the 
book.  Some  of  these  may  be  accidental.  There  must 
be  some  number  used  in  any  list  of  events  or  of  ideas.  It 
is  easy  to  see  a  good  deal  more  in  such  numerical  schemes 
than  the  author  did.  I  cannot  help  feeling  that  even  Allen  ^ 
and  Plummer  ^  have  fallen  to  some  extent  into  this  snare. 
At  any  rate  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  find  a  mystical  mean- 
ing in  the  seven  (or  eight)  beatitudes,  the  seven  parables 
in  Chapter  13  (but  Mark  adds  another),  etc.  It  is  far 
more  probable  that  whatever  numerical  scheme  may  exist 
is  due  to  a  desire  for  assisting  **the  memories  of  oral  teach- 
ers and  of  learners."  ^  Plummer  finds  very  many  triplets 
like  the  three  temptations  (4:  i-ii),  the  three  examples 
of  righteousness  (alms,  prayer,  fasting,  6:1-18),  three 
contrasts  (7: 13,  17,  24-27),  three  signs  to  the  Pharisees 

»  Comm.,  pp.  briv  ff.  2  Ibid.,  pp.  xix  fif. 

'  Hawkins,  Horce  Synoptka,  p.  131 ;   cf.  Pliunmer,  Comm.,  p.  xxiii. 


35 


INTRODUCTION 


(12:38-42),  etc.  Some  are  much  more  probable  than 
others.  The  group  of  five  is  less  frequent.  Thus  the  five 
great  discourses  may  be  divided  into  five  paragraphs  each, 
etc.  But  why  not  into  seven  or  ten?  There  are  seven 
parables  in  Chapter  13  and  seven  woes  in  Chapter  23. 
Some  writers  even  divide  the  seven  into  three  and  four  and 
find  a  reason  for  this  artificiality. 

Jiilicher^  thinks  that  his  '' ingenious  system"  of  groups 
and  his  richness  of  material  have  both  helped  to  make  this 
Gospel  popular. 

6.  Quotations  from  the  Old  Testament.  These  will  be 
discussed  in  detail  in  the  Commentary.  There  are  just 
about  as  many  quotations  in  Matthew  as  in  Mark  and 
Luke  combined,  Mark  having  as  many  in  proportion  as 
Luke.  The  number  in  Matthew  is  about  sixty  or  sixty- 
five,  depending  on  how  one  combines  the  verses.  Some 
of  them  come  avowedly  from  the  author  of  the  book  (Matt. 
1 :  23 ;  2  :  15, 18,  23  ;  4 :  15;  16 ;  8:17;  12  :  18,  21 ;  13  :  35 ; 
21:5;  27:9,  10).^  One  is  due  to  the  Scribes  (2:6). 
These  are  foimd  in  Matthew  alone,  chiefly  in  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount  (5:21,  27,  31,  33,  38,  43 ;  9:13;  12:7; 
13:14,  15;  21:16).  Here  are  twenty  that  appear  also 
in  either  Mark  or  Luke  or  both  (3:3;  4 :  4,  6,  7, 10 ;  11:10; 
15:4,8,9;  19:5;  21:13,42;  22:24,32,  37,  39,44; 
24 :  15;  26:  31 ;  27  :  46).  The  most  of  them  belong  to  the 
words  of  Jesus,  as  is  almost  entirely  true  in  Mark  and  Luke. 
John,  like  Matthew,  has  comments  of  his  own  through  the 
narrative.^  The  quotations  from  the  words  of  Jesus  are 
chiefly  from  the  Septuagint,  with  a  few  exceptions  like  5:31, 
33 ,  43  ;  1 1 :  10 ;  22  :  24.  But  those  which  the  author  himself 
introduces  into  the  text  "with  the  formula  *  that  it  might 
be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the  Lord  through  the 
prophets'  are  mostly  fresh  renderings  from  the  Hebrew 
text."  ^    This  formula  is  one  of  the  distinguishing  traits 

»  Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  p.  314. 

>  These  lists  come  from  Hawkins,  Bom  Synoptica,  pp.  123  f.         •  Ibid.,  p.  12S. 

*  David  Smith,  Matthew  in  Westminster  N.  T.,  p.  10. 


36 


INTRODUCTION 


of  this  Gospel.  It  recalls  the  writer's  conception  of  the 
connection  between  the  mission  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah 
and  the  Old  Testament.  It  is  distinctly  a  prophetic  re- 
lation. He  wishes  to  present  "the  Messianic  dignity  of 
Jesus, "  ^  and  he  appeals  to  the  Old  Testament  for  that  pur- 
pose. Various  incidents  in  the  life  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah 
were  foretold.  The  summary  of  the  facts  is  well  given  by 
Alienor  "His  birth  (1:22-23)  by  Isaiah,  at  Bethlehem 
(2  :  6)  by  Micah,  Herod's  massacre  of  the  children  (2  :  17- 
18)  by  Jeremiah,  Christ's  return  from  Egypt  (2:15)  by 
Hosea,  the  settlement  of  His  parents  at  Nazareth  by  the 
prophets,  the  coming  of  His  herald  (3:3)  by  Isaiah,  His 
own  mission  in  Galilee  (4 :  14-16)  by  Isaiah,  His  work  of 
mercy  in  heahng  the  sick  (8 :  17)  by  Isaiah,  His  avoidance 
of  publicity  (12 :  17-21)  by  Isaiah,  His  preaching  in  para- 
bles (13 :  35)  by  the  Psalmist,  and  the  inability  of  the 
people  to  understand  them  (13 :  14-15)  by  Isaiah,  His 
entry  as  King  into  Jerusalem  (2 1 :  4-5)  by  Zechariah,  and 
the  use  to  which  the  price  of  His  life  was  put  (27 : 9-10) 
by  'Jeremiah.'  His  betrayal  (26:24,  54>  5^),  His  deser- 
tion (26 :  31),  and  many  of  the  incidents  of  His  death  and 
burial  had  been  foretold  in  Scripture  (27  :  34,  35,  39',  43,  57). 
And  of  His  three  days'  sojourn  in  the  tomb,  Jonah  was  a 
type,  12 :  40."  The  compression  of  the  facts  here  justi- 
fies this  long  quotation  from  Allen.  There  are  difficulties 
in  the  use  of  these  quotations  in  the  Gospel.  Some  of 
them  have  an  imdoubted  Messianic  reference  in  the  orig- 
inal. Others  have  apparently  merely  the  historical  allu- 
sion of  the  original  context.  Many  are  used  in  the  Gospel 
in  the  nature  of  illustrations  or  repeated  fulfilments.  It 
is  possible  also  that  the  mystical  interpretation,  common  to 
the  Jews  (cf.  Philo),  is  sometimes  used  by  the  author.  But 
it  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  history  of  Israel  as  the 
servant  of  Jehovah  really  typifies  the  Messiah  as  the  true 

*  Plummer,  Comm.,  p.  xxiv. 

»  Comm.,  p.  bdv.     Cf .  also  Luckock,  The  Special  Characteristics  of  the  Four  Gospds, 
pp.  S1-61. 


37 


INTRODUCTION 


Servant  of  Jehovah.  It  is  not  mere  fancy  to  find  parallels 
to  the  life  of  Jesus  in  the  course  of  Israelitish  history.  It 
is  to  be  remembered  also  that  the  words  of  the  prophet 
may  have  had  a  Messianic  application  not  clearly  under- 
stood by  him  (i  Pet.  i :  10-12).^  The  particular  problem 
in  each  quotation  will  be  noted  in  the  Commentary.  Mark 
and  Luke  also  make  use  of  prophecy  in  connection  with 
Christ. 

7.  Christology.  The  various  terms  used  in  Matthew 
concerning  Jesus  call  for  a  brief  comment. 

{a)  Son  of  Abraham  (1:1).  Cf.  also  1:2,  17.  Luke 
carries  the  descent  back  to  Adam  (3 :  38).  Matthew  is 
content  to  begin  with  Abraham,  the  father  of  Israel. 

(^)TheSonof  David  (i :  1,6, 17;  9:27;  12:23;  15-22; 
20:30,  31;  21:9,  15).  Zahn^  denies  that  there  is  any 
effort  to  prove  that  Jesus  was  a  descendant  of  David,  since 
this  was  freely  admitted  on  all  sides,  particularly  at  the 
triumphal  entry  (21:9,  ^S)-  What  is  true  is  that  as  Son 
of  David  he  was  in  the  Messianic  line  and  so  could  be  the 
Messiah.  Moreover,  the  royal  dignity  of  David,  lost  in 
the  captivity  (i :  11),  was  recovered  in  the  person  of  Jesus 
(i :  i6).3 

{c)  The  Christ  or  Christ.  Originally  the  term  was  used 
with  the  article  in  the  sense  of  the  Anointed  One = the 
Messiah  (Jn.  i :  41).  The  use  of  it  as  a  mere  proper  name 
was  gradual  and  came  to  be  very  common  (cf.  Paul's 
Epistles).  We  see  it  so  in  Matt.  1:1,  "Jesus  Christ,"  and 
"Christ"  in  1:16. 

But  in  2  :  4  the  Messiah  is  clearly  the  idea,  not  Christ,  and 
probably  so  in  i :  1 7  because  of  the  article  in  the  Greek.  See 
also  II :  23;  16  :  20 ;  22  :  42  ;  26  :  63,  as,  in  fact,  is  generally 
true  in  the  Gospels.*  The  translation  often  obscures  the  real 
idea.  In  these  passages  we  see  the  purpose  of  the  Gospel  to 
show  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah  of  Old  Testament  promise. 

1  Cf.  Broadus,  Comm.  on  Matt.,  p.  25.  2  Introduction  to  N.  T.,  Vol.  II,  p.  534- 

'  Allen,  Comm.,  p.  Ixvi. 

*  Cf.  Warfield,  Lord  of  Glory,  pp.  57  ff.    But  cf.  Dalman,  Words  of  Jesus,  pp.  303  flE. 


38 


INTRODUCTION 


(d)  King  of  the  Jews  in  his  birth  (2  :  2),  in  his  entry  into 
Jerusalem  (21 :  4-5),  in  his  own  claim  to  kingship  (27  :  11, 

^9^  37,  42).  ^    .        .       .       ,  .  ^ 

(e)  Jesus  is  the  common  designation  in  this  Gospel 
(4 : 1,  7,  10,  etc.).  But  Matthew  also  gives  the  signifi- 
cance of  this  name  as  that  of  Saviour  (1:21). 

(/)  Begotten  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (i :  18,  20).  The  true 
deity  of  Jesus  as  "Immanuel,  God  with  us"  (i :  23),  is  thus 
grounded  in  the  Virgin  Birth  of  Jesus.  All  through  the 
Gospel  the  Holy  Spirit  is  in  vital  relation  with  Jesus  as  in 
baptism  (3  :  13,  16),  the  temptation  (4 :  i),  the  casting  out 
of  demons  (12  :  28). 

(g)  Lord.  This  term  is  usually  appHed  to  Jesus  in  ad- 
dress (so  in  8:2).  But  it  is  undoubtedly  also  used/  as 
nearly  always  in  Paul's  Epistles,  of  Jesus  as  Lord  (Matt. 
7:21;  22  :  43  ;  etc.).  The  word  thus  wavers  between  the 
human  and  the  divine  sense. 

(h)  The  Son  of  Man.  This  term  is  used  by  Jesus  alone 
in  the  Gospels,  except  once  in  Jn.  12:  34,  where  the  people 
take  it  up  as  a  sort  of  repetition  of  the  words  of  Jesus,  but 
apparently  in  a  Messianic  sense.  The  term  "son  of  man" 
is  very  common  in  Ezekiel  as  an  address  to  Ezekiel  which 
emphasized  his  humanity.  It  occurs  in  Acts  7 :  56  and 
Rev.  1:13;  14 :  14  with  apparent  reference  to  Dan.  7  :  13 
and  10: 16,  18.  The  effort  has  been  made  to  prove  that 
in  the  Gospels  it  is  a  mistranslation  of  the  Aramaic  words 
of  Jesus  and  really  means  only  ''a  man"  (barnasha).  But 
Dalman^  has  completely  refuted  that  notion.  Besides 
some  of  the  passages  in  the  Gospels  make  no  sense  with 
this  interpretation  (Matt.  24 :  37,  39).  Most  assuredly 
the  high  priest  did  not  so  understand  the  term  in  Matt. 
26 :  4  f.,  nor  did  the  disciples  in  16 :  13  f.  Cf.  also  16 :  27  f. 
The  term  is  not  essentially  Messianic  though  it  could  be 
so  used.  What  it  does  emphasize  is  the  humanity  of  Jesus 
and  the  fact  that  he  was  the  representative  man.  Jesus 
used  it  in  all  sorts  of  connections,  when  he  spoke  about 

1  Warfield,  Lord  of  Glory,  pp.  72  f .  2  Words  of  Jesus,  pp.  234-267 ■ 

39 


INTRODUCTION 


his  privations  (Matt.  8 :  20)  and  death  (17:12,  22),  as  well 
as  his  resurrection  (17:9)  and  triumph  (19 :  28 ;  24 :  27). 
The  term  suited  the  needs  of  Jesus  in  that  he  could  conceal 
his  Messianic  claims  except  for  those  who  could  under- 
stand. Perhaps  no  special  connection  is  to  be  sought 
between  this  use  of  the  term  and  that  in  the  Book  of  Enoch 
and  2  Esdras.  The  phrase  did  not  become  common  in 
Christian  literature  and  remains  in  the  Gospels  as  the  self- 
assumed  appellation  of  Jesus.  The  air  of  mystery  still 
lingers  about  the  phrase.  It  is  most  frequent  in  Matthew. 
Mark  has  it  fourteen  times.  Matthew  adds  nineteen 
other  examples. 

(i)  The  Son  of  God.  There  is  little  doubt  as  to  the  mean- 
ing of  this  epithet.  In  the  account  of  the  birth  of  Jesus 
he  is  set  forth  as  born  of  a  virgin  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  He 
is  both  Son  of  Man  and  Son  of  God.  The  one  phrase 
accents  his  humanity,  the  other  his  deity.  It  is  chiefly 
in  the  Gospel  of  John  that  Jesus  calls  himself  the  Son  of 
God  (5:25;  9-35;.  10:36;^  11:4)-  In  Matt.  27:43 
his  enemies  accuse  him  of  saying  "I  am  the  Son  of  God," 
or  "A  Son  of  God."  In  26 :  63  the  high  priest  asks  Jesus 
on  oath  if  he  is  ''The  Christ,  the  Son  of  God."  Jesus  ad- 
mits it  in  his  reply  and  proceeds  to  spea.k  of  the  power  of 
the  Son  of  Man.  The  high  priest  thought  Jesus  guilty 
of  blasphemy  and  made  no  sharp  distinction  between  the 
two  terms.  In  16:16  Peter  addressed  Jesus  as  "The 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  The  absence  of  the 
latter  clause  in  Mark  and  Luke  does  not  disprove  its  genuine-- 
ness,  since  all  the  rest  of  the  momentous  words  of  Jesus  on 
this  occasion  are  given  alone  by  Matthew.  It  may  have 
come  from  Matthew's  Logia.  At  the  baptism  of  Jesus 
(3:17)  he  is  addressed  as  the  Son  of  God,  as  in  Mark  (i :  n) 
and  Luke  also  (3:22).  Cf.  also  the  transfiguration  (Matt. 
17:5;  Mk.  9:7;  Lk.  9:35).  The  devil  calls  Jesus  "a 
Son  of  God, "1  strictly  translated  (Matt.  4 :  3,  6 ;  Lk.  4 :  39), 
as  does  the  demoniac  in  Matt.  8 :  29  (Mk.  5:7;  Lk.  8 :  28). 
So  the  challenge  of  his  enemies  in  Matt.  27  :  40.     But  see 

40 


INTRODUCTION 


"the  Son  of  Gk)d"  from  the  demoniac  in  Mk.  3:11.  In 
Matt.  14 :  33  the  act  of  worship  makes  the  rather  ambigu- 
ous Greek  plainly  "the  Son  of  God."  Cf.  the  exclamation 
of  the  centurion  in  27 :  54.  There  is  no  doubt  at  all  that 
Jesus  used  the  term  to  express  his  unique  relation  to  God 
the  Father,  and  accepted  it  in  the  same  sense.^  The  same 
idea  is  really  involved  in  Matt.  11 :  27,  where  "the  Son" 
is  used  with  "the  Father"  in  a  sense  true  of  no  one  else 
than  Jesus.  The  voice  of  the  Father  at  the  baptism  of 
Jesus  and  at  the  transfiguration  reenforces  this  interpreta- 
tion. The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  also  at  the  baptism 
in  the  form  of  a  dove  reveals  the  Trinity  and  makes  it 
easier  to  credit  the  genuineness  of  the  trinitarian  formula 
in  28: 19. 

8.   The  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

(a)  The  expression  is  confined  to  Matthew.  Elsewhere 
we  have  "the  kingdom  of  God"  (Matt.  6:33;  12:28; 
19:24;  21:31,  43),  the  kingdom  (4 :  23 ;  8:13;  9:35; 
13  :  19,  38 ;  25  :  34),  the  Father's  kingdom  (13: 43;  26:  29), 
his  kingdom  (12:  26;  13:  41;  16:  28),  thy  kingdom  (6: 10; 
20:  21).  The  term  "kingdom  of  heaven"  occurs  thirty- 
two  times  in  Matthew  (3:2;  4:17;  5:3;  etc.).  Allen  ^ 
takes  pains  to  translate  it  "kingdom  of  the  heavens"  and 
insists  that  it  has  a  different  sense  from  "kingdom  of  God." 
But  that  position  is  more  than  doubtful.  The  Jewish 
reluctance  to  use  the  term  "God"  may  be  the  explanation 
of  "heaven"  in  this  connection  in  Matthew.  The  plural 
may  be  compared  with  the  Hebrew  dual  {shamayim). 

(b)  The  root  meaning  of  "kingdom"  is  "rule"  or  "sov- 
ereignty." It  is  the  rule  of  God  that  is  meant  by  the 
phrase.  This  is  clearly  true  in  Matt.  6 :  33  ;  5:3;  19 :  14. 
This  reign  of  God  in  the  heart  is  the  central  idea  always. 

(c)  It  is  spiritual,  ethical,  individual,  and  a  present 
reaUzation  (cf.  Matt.  6 :  33 ;  11:12;  12  :  28).  The  word 
"is  at  hand"  (3:2;  4 :  17,  etc.)  means,  not  a  long  distance 

1  Cf.  Plummer,  Comm.,  p.  zzviii ;  Zahn,  Comm.  zu  MaUh.,  S.  145  seq. 
*  Comm.,  p.  Ivii  f. 

41 


INTRODUCTION 


ahead,  but  rather  nigh  to  any  one  who  is  ready  to  receive 
the  rule  of  God. 

(d)  It  is  personal  and  gradual  in  its  growth.  Cf.  the 
parables  in  Chapter  13  and  11 :  11 ;  18 :  i ;  19 :  24 ;  21:31. 

(e)  But  it  has  also  a  pervasive  social  aspect.  Cf.  the 
parables  of  the  mustard  seed  and  the  leaven  in  Chapter  13. 
See  also  21  .-43. 

(/)  This  rule  of  God  will  have  its  consummation  in  the 
future.  See  in  particular  the  parables  of  the  tares  and  the 
net  in  Chapter  13,  the  parables  of  judgment  in  21  and  22, 
24  and  25.  Most  of  the  teaching  concerning  this  aspect  of 
the  kingdom  is  in  apocalyptic  form.  There  are  escha- 
tological  sayings  scattered  all  through  the  Gospel,  but  in 
Chapters  24  and  25  the  matter  is  nearly  all  in  that  type  of 
teaching.  We  have  the  books  of  Daniel,  Ezekiel,  and 
Revelation  as  guides  in  the  interpretation  of  this  teaching, 
besides  the  numerous  Jewish  Apocalypses  like  2  Esdras, 
etc.  Allen  ^  is  so  much  influenced  by  the  body  of  teaching 
that  he  insists  that  all  of  Christ's  words  about  the  kingdom 
are  apocalyptic  and  that  the  kingdom  with  Jesus  is  en- 
tirely eschatological  and  so  future.  But  this  is  carrying 
the  matter  entirely  too  far.  Sanday  ^  admits  a  large  ele- 
ment of  this  teaching,  but  denies,  as  against  Schweitzer,^ 
that  it  dominates  the  whole  to  the  destruction  of  the  spir- 
itual and  the  ethical.  As  a  matter  of  fact  this  was  merely 
the  form  often  used  by  Jesus  when  he  spoke  of  the  future 
aspect  of  the  kingdom.  We  must  not,  like  the  early  dis- 
ciples, be  blind  to  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  King  Messiah 
and  his  kingdom  (cf.  Acts  1:7).  The  claims  of  Jesus 
that  he  was  above  the  law  (5  :  22-44),  the  temple  (12 :  6), 
the  prophets  (11:9,  11)  are  not  to  be  set  aside  as  those  of 
a  mere  apocalyptic  dreamer.  His  kingdom  was  indeed 
not  of  this  world  in  spirit,  but  he  meant  it  to  be  the  dom- 

1  Comm.,  p.  Ixvii  flE. ;  Art.  "  Matt.,"  Hastings,  D.C.G. 

2  The  Life  of  Christ  in  Recent  Research,  p.  log.  Cf.  also  Muirhead,  Eschatology  of 
Jesus,  p.  83  ;  Dobschiitz,  Eschatology  of  the  Gospels,  1910. 

»  Von  Reimarus  zu  Wrede,  1906  ;  The  Quest  of  the  Historical  Jesus  (translation), 
iQio.  Cf.  Sharman,  The  Teaching  of  Jesus  about  the  Future,  1909.  Also  Mathews, 
The  Messianic  Hope  in  the  New  Testament,  1904. 

42 


INTRODUCTION 


inant  force  for  righteousness  in  the  world,  and  it  is  destined 
to  transform  human  society  by  redeeming  the  individuals. 
This  is  to  happen,  not  by  a  future  cataclysm,  but  the  inward 
change  of  heart  and  life.  The  cataclysm  will  mark  the 
consummation,  but  will  not  produce  the  regeneration. 

XI.  Analysis 
Theme:  Jesus  of  Nazareth  the  Jewish  Messiah 

I.  Birth  of  Jesus  in  Accord  with  Prophecy ;  chs.  1.2. 

1.  His  Legal  Genealogy  traced  to  Abraham  through 

David;  i :  1-17. 

2.  A  Virgin  Birth  according  to  Prophecy ;  1:18-25. 

3.  Birth  in  Bethlehem  according  to  Prophecy ;  2  :  i- 

12. 

4.  Flight  into  Egypt  according  to  Prophecy ;  2:13- 

15- 

5.  The  Occasion  of  Lamentation  as  illustrated  in 

Prophecy;   2:16-18. 

6.  The  Home  in  Nazareth  in  Harmony  with  Proph- 

ecy; 2: 19-23. 
II.   Sketch  of  John  the  Baptist,  the  Forerunner  of  the 
Messiah;   3 :  1-12. 

1.  The  Forerimner  himself  the  Fulfilment  of  Proph- 

ecy; 3'''^-?>' 

2.  Description  of  the  Baptist ;  3:4. 

3.  Specimen  of  his  Work  and  Preaching ;  3  :  5-12. 

III.  The  Beginning  of  the  Messianic  Work  of  Jesus ;  3  :  13 

-4:11. 

1.  Baptism  of  Jesus  by  the  Baptist;  3 :  13-17. 

2.  The  Conflict  with  Satan  over  Mission  of  the  Mes- 

siah; 4:  i-ii. 

IV.  Gahlee  the  Main  Scene  of  the  Messianic  Activity. 
Representative   Examples   of   Christ's   Words   and 

Deeds;  4: 12-13:  58. 
I.  The  New  Home  of  Jesus ;  4 :  12-16. 

43 


INTRODUCTION 


2.  The  Messianic  Message ;  4:17. 

3.  Four  Followers  won;  4: 18-22. 

4.  The  First  Tour  of  Galilee  with  these  Four ;  4 :  23- 

25. 

5.  Exposition  by  Jesus  of  Righteousness  in  Terms  of 

the  Kingdom  of  God ;  Chs.  5-7. 
(i)   Circumstances  of  the  Discourse ;   5  :  i  f . 

(2)  Introduction  to  the  Discourse,  the  Klind  of 

People  who  compose  the  Kingdom ;   5:3- 
16. 

(3)  The  Theme  of  the  Discourse,  Christ's  Idea  of 

Righteousness  contrasted  with  the  Current 
Jewish  Teaching;    5:17-20. 

(4)  The  Argument  Developed;  5  :  21-7 :  12. 

His  teaching  a  real  extension  of  that  in 
the  O.  T.-  though  out  of  harmony  with 
that  of  the  Scribes  in  some  points, 
5:21-48;  more  spiritual  and  less  osten- 
tatious than  the  notions  of  the  Pharisees, 
6 : 1-18 ;  practical  illustrations  of  the  right- 
eousness required  by  Jesus,  6  :  19-7  :  12. 

(5)  Conclusion  of  the  Discourse ;   7  :  13-27. 

Hortatory  parables  illustrating  the 
people  in  the  kingdom  and  those  outside ; 
the  two  ways  and  the  two  gates,  7  :  13  f. ; 
the  two  kinds  of  fruits,  7  :  15-23  ;  the  two 
foundations,  7 :  24-27. 

(6)  Effect  of  the  Sermon ;  7:285. 

6.  Various  Illustrations  of  the  Work  in  GaHlee,  par- 

ticularly Miracles.    Not  in  chronological  order ; 
8:1-9:  34. 
(i)  A  Leper ;  8 : 1-4. 

(2)  The  Centurion's  Servant ;  8:5-13. 

(3)  Peter's   Mother-in-law  and  Others ;  8 :  14- 

17- 

(4)  Two  Would-be  Discipels;  8:18-22. 

(5)  The  Storm  at  Sea ;  8:23-27. 

44 


INTRODUCTION 


(6)  The  Gadarene  Demoniacs ;  8  :  28-34. 

(7)  The  Paralytic  let  down  through  the  Roof; 

9 : 1-8. 

(8)  The  Call  and  Feast  of  Matthew ;  9:9-13. 

(9)  The  Question  of  Fasting;  9 :  14-17. 

(10)  Jairus's  Daughter  and  the  Woman  with  an 

Issue  of  Blood ;   9 :  18-26. 

(11)  Two  Blind  Men ;  9 :  27-31. 

(12)  The  Dumb  Demoniac;  9  :  32-34. 

7.  Experimental  Tour  of  the  Twelve ;  9 :  35-11 :  i. 

8.  John's  Appeal  to  Jesus  ;  11:2-19. 
(i)   Reason  for  Making  It;   11:2. 

(2)  Response  of  Jesus  to  John ;   11:  ;^-6. 

(3)  Tribute  of  Jesus  to  John ;   11:7-15. 

(4)  Indictment  of  the  Jews  for  Treatment  of 

John  and  Jesus ;  11 :  16-19. 

9.  Jesus'  Arraignment  of  the  Cities  of  Opportunity ; 

II :  20-24. 

10.  Christ's  Conception  of  His  Person  and  Work ; 

11:25-30. 

11.  Growing  Opposition  to  Jesus ;  ch.  12. 

(i)   Controversy  over  the  Sabbath ;  12: 1-14. 

(2)  Secrecy  enjoined  about  the  Miracles ;  1 2 : 1 5- 

21. 

(3)  Charged  with  Connection  with  Beelzebub; 

12:22-37. 

(4)  Scribes  and  Pharisees  demand  a  Sign ;  1 2 :  38- 

45- 

(5)  Family  of  Jesus  come  for  Him;   12  : 46-50. 

12.  A  New  Method  of  Teaching ;  13  : 1-52. 

(i)   Four  Parables  to  the  Crowds  by  the  Sea- 
side ;    13  :  1-35. 

(2)  Three  Parables  to  the  Disciples  in  the  House, 

after  Explanation  of  the  Tares ;  13 :  36-50. 

(3)  The  Disciples  learning  the  Parables ;  13 :  51- 

52. 

13.  Jesus  back  at  Nazareth ;   13 :  53-58. 

45 


INTRODUCTION 


V.  Special  Training  of  the  Twelve  in  View  of  the  Ap- 
proaching Death  of  Jesus  chiefly  in  the  Dis- 
tricts outside  of  Galilee ;  chs.  14-18. 

1.  Reason  for  the  Alarm  and  Guilty  Conscience  of 

Herod  Antipas ;   14 :  1-12. 

2.  A  Crisis  in  Christ's  Ministry  because  of  Popular 

Fanaticism ;   14:13-36. 

3.  Challenged  by  the  Jerusalem  Pharisees  because 

of  the  Tradition  of  the  Elders ;   15  :  1-20. 

4.  A  Trip  to  Phoenicia ;  15  :  21-28. 

5.  InDecapolis;   15:29-39. 

6.  Return    to    Galilee  with   Renewed   Challenge 

from  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.    The  Answer 
of  Jesus;   16:  1-4. 

7.  Disciples  warned  against  the  Pharisees  and  Sad- 

ducees;   16:5^12. 

8.  The  Twelve  Disciples  examined  near  Caesarea 

Philippi ;    16 :  13-20. 

9.  The  Twelve  told  the  Secret  of  Christ's  Death; 

17 : 1-13. 

10.  A  Glimpse  of  the  Glory  of  the  Son  of  God ;  17:1- 

11.  Failure  of  the  Disciples  with  an  Epileptic  De- 

moniac;  17: 14-23. 

12.  Jesus  paying  Taxes ;   17  :  24-27. 

13.  The  Jealousy  of  the  Disciples ;   18 : 1-14. 

14.  Conduct  towards  Church  Members  Guilty  of 

Personal  Wrong ;   18 :  15-35. 
VI.  Jesus  turning  His  Face  toward  Jerusalem ;  chs.  19 
and  20. 

1.  In  Perea  with  the  Multitudes;   19:  i  f. 

2.  Pharisees  tempt  Jesus  with  the  Divorce  Prob- 

lem;   19:3-12. 

3.  Jesus  and  Little  Children;   19: 13-15. 

4.  The  Rich  Young  Ruler  and  the  Peril  of  Riches ; 

19: 16-26. 

5.  The  Basis  of  Reward  in  Heaven ;  19 :  27-20 :  16. 

46 


INTRODUCTION 


6.  Plain  Speech  about  the  Death  of  Jesus ;  20 :  17- 

19. 

7.  Jealous  Ambition  of  James  and  John  and  their 

Mother ;    20 :  20-28. 

8.  Jesus  at  Jericho ;  20 :  29-34. 

VII.  The  Messianic  Demonstration  in  Jerusalem;  21 :  i- 
22. 

1.  The  Triumphal  Entry  into  the  City ;  21:1-11. 

2.  The  Cleansing  of  the  Temple;  21: 12-17. 

3.  The  Curse  upon  the  Fig  Tree ;  21 ;  18-22. 
VIII.  The  Great  Conflict  in  the  Temple;    21:23-23: 

39- 

1.  The  Challenge  from  the  Rulers  and  the  Reply 

of  Jesus ;    21 :  23-22  :  14. 

2.  The  Onset  of   the  Pharisees  and  Herodians; 

22 :  15-22. 

3.  The  Attack  of  the  Sadducees ;  22  :  23-33. 

4.  A  Lawyer's  Inquiry;   22  :  34-40. 

5.  Jesus  turns  the  Tables  on  His  Enemies  by  de- 

manding their  Interpretation  of  the  Messiah ; 
22 :  41-46. 

6.  Vehement   Denunciation   of   the   Scribes   and 

Pharisees ;   23  : 1-36. 

7.  Lament  over  Jerusalem ;   23  :  37-39. 

IX.  The  Coming  Judgment  on  the  City  and  the  World ; 
chs.  24  and  25. 

1.  The  Prophecy  of  the  End ;   24 : 1-3 1. 

2.  Parables  of  Warning  against  being  surprised  by 

the  Coming  of  Christ ;  24 :  32-25  :  30. 

3.  The  Son  of  Man  as  Judge  of  all  the  Nations; 

25:31-46. 
X.  Victory  of  the  Enemies  of  Jesus ;  chs.  26  and  27. 

1.  Jesus  sets  a  Date  for  His  Death ;  26 :  i  f. 

2.  The   Sanhedrin   hold   an   Important    Meeting 

about  the  Situation ;    26 :  3-5. 

3.  Honor  to  Jesus  in  Bethany ;  26 :  6-13. 

4.  Desertion  of  Judas  to  the  Enemy ;  26 :  14-16. 

47 


INTRODUCTION 


5.  Jesus  celebrates  the  Passover;   26 :  17-25. 

6.  The  Institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper ;  26 :  26-30. 

7.  The  Disciples  warned  by  Jesus ;  26 :  31-35. 

8.  The  Struggle  in  the  Garden  and  the  Victory; 

26 :  36-46. 

9.  The  Betrayal  by  Judas ;  26  :  47-56. 

10.  Jesus  before  the  Sanhedrin ;    26 :  57-68. 

11.  The  Conduct  of  Peter ;  26  :  69-75. 

12.  The  Final  Vote  of  the  Sanhedrin ;  27  :  i  f. 

13.  Remorse  and  Suicide  of  Judas ;  27  :  3-10. 

14.  Trial  of  Jesus  by  Pilate ;  27  :  11-31. 

15.  The  Crucifixion ;   27:32-56. 

16.  The  Burial ;   27  :  57-66. 

XI.  The  Triumph  of  Jesus ;   28 : 1-20. 

1.  Jesus  appears  to  the  Women ;   28 :  i-io. 

2.  The  Guard  and  the  Sanhedrin;   28: 11-15. 

3.  Jesus  and  the  Disciples  on  the  Mountain  in 

Galilee ;    28 :  16-20. 


XII.  Bibliography 

Introduction 

Bacon,  B.  W.    An  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament.     1900. 

DoDS,  Marcus.    Introduction  to  the  New  Testament.     1894. 

GoDET,  F.  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament.  The  Collection  of 
the  Four  Gospels  and  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew.     1899. 

Gregory,  Caspar  Rene.  The  Canon  and  Text  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment.    1907. 

Kerr,  J.  H.  An  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  the  New  Testament. 
Fifth  Edition,  Revised.     1909. 

JuLiCHER,  A.    An  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament.     1904. 

Moffat,  James.    The  Historical  New  Testament.     1901. 

Peake,  a.  S.     Critical  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament.     1909. 

Salmon,  George.  A  Historical  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  the 
Books  of  the  New  Testament.     1885. 

Weiss,  B.    A  Manual  of  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament.     1887. 

Westcott,  B.  F.    Introduction  to  the  Study  of  the  Gospels.     1887. 

Zahn,  Th.    Introduction  to  the  New  Testament.     1909. 


48 


INTRODUCTION 


Special  Treatises  on  the  Synoptic  Problem 

Bible  Dictionaries,  articles  on  Gospels,  Matthew. 

Bacon.    The  Beginnings  of  Gospel  Story.     1909. 

Burkitt,  F.  C.  The  Gospel  History  and  its  Transmission.  1906. 
—  Sources  for  the  Life  of  Jesus.     1910. 

Burton.  Principles  of  Literary  Criticism  and  the  Synoptic  Problem. 
1904. 

Charles,  R.  H.  The  Testaments  of  the  Twelve  Patriarchs,  trans- 
lated from  the  Greek.  1908.  —  The  Greek  Versions  of  the  Testa- 
ments of  the  Twelve  Patriarchs.     1908. 

Dalman,  G.    The  Words  of  Jesus.     1902. 

Gloag,  p.  J.    The  Synoptic  Gospels.     1895. 

Harnack,  a.    The  Sayings  of  Jesus.     1909. 

Hawkins,  J.  C.    Horae  Synopticae.     1899. 

Jolley,  a.  J.    The  Synoptic  Problem  for  English  Readers.     1893. 

Rushbrooke,  W.  G.     Synopticon.     1880. 

Salmon,  G.    The  Human  Element  in  the  Gospels.     1907. 

Sharman,  H.  B.  The  Teaching  of  Jesus  about  the  Future  according 
to  the  Synoptic  Gospels.     1909. 

Stanton,  V.  H.  The  Gospels  as  Historical  Documents.  Part  I, 
The  Early  Use  of  the  Gospels,  1903 ;  Part  II,  The  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels, 1909. 

Wright,  A.    Synopsis  of  the  Gospels  in  Greek.    1903. 


Commentaries 

Alford,  H.    The   Greek   Testament,  Vol.  I,  The   Four   Gospels. 

1859.  M  _ 

Allen,  W.  C.    A  Critical   and    Exegetical    Commentary  on    the 

Gospel  according  to  St.  Matthew  (International  Critical  Comm.). 

1907. 
Broadus,  John  A.     Commentary  on  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  (an 

American  Commentary  on  the  New  Testament).     1887. 
Bruce,  A.  B.    The  Synoptic  Gospels  (Vol.  I,  The  Expositor's  Greek 

Testament).     1902. 
Gibson,  J.  M.    The  Gospel  of  Matthew  (The  Expositor's  Bible). 

No  date. 
Maclaren,  a.    The  Gospel  according  to  St.  Matthew,  Three  Vols. 

(Expositions  of  Holy  Scripture).     1905. 
Meyer,  H.  A.  W.     Critical  and  Exegetical  Handbook  to  the  Gospel 

of  Matthew.     1884. 
MoRisoN,  James.    Practical  Commentary  on  the  Gk)spel  according 

to  St.  Matthew.     Ninth  Edition.     1895. 
Plummer,  a.    An  Exegetical  Commentary  on  the  Gospel  according 

to  St.  Matthew.     1909. 

E  49 


INTRODUCTION 

Smith,  D.  The  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew  (Westminster  New  Testa- 
ment). 1909. 

Weiss,  B.  A  Commentary  on  the  New  Testament.  Three  Vols. 
1906. 

Abbreviations 

AV       ....    Authorized  (King  James)  Version. 

Gk Greek.    - 

LXX    ....    Septuagint. 

Mg Margin. 

M Markan  Source. 

Q Logia  of  Matthew  common  to  both  Matthew  and 

Luke. 
R Remainder    of    Matthew    from    various    sources 

(Logia,    Oral    Tradition,  Editorial    Comments, 

etc.). 
SV Standard  American  Version. 


SO 


THE    GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO 
MATTHEW 

Theme :  Jesus  of  Nazareth  the  Jewish  Messiah 

I.  Birth  of  Jesus  in  Accord  with  Prophecy,  i  :  1-2  :  23 

I.  Bis  Legal  Genealogy  traced  to  Abraham  through  David,  i  :  ] 
1 : 1-17. 

1.  ^The  book  of  the  ^  generation  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  R 
son  of  David,  the  son  of  Abraham. 

'  Or,  The  genealogy  of  Jesus  Christ  '  Or,  birth ;  as  in  ver.  i8. 

I .  Book.  The  Greek  word  is  the  one  from  which  we  get  "Bible." 
The  natural  meaning  would  include  the  entire  Gospel,  and  some 
scholars  so  interpret  it,  but  on  the  whole  it  is  more  probable  that 
the  specific  reference  is  to  the  discussion  of  the  birth  of  Jesus 
in  Chapters  i  and  2.  Some  apply  it  only  to  i :  1-17.  Cf.  Gen. 
5:1,"  the  book  of  the  generations  of  Adam."  Generation.  This 
English  word,  like  the  Greek  in  the  original,  is  ambiguous,  but 
"  lineage  "  is  the  most  probable  rendering ;  "  the  book  of  the 
lineage  "  of  Jesus  Christ.  Christ.  A  proper  name  from  the 
later  point  of  view,  and  naturally  so  used  in  this  introductory 
title.  "  Jesus  Christ  "  does  not  occur  elsewhere  in  Matthew, 
except  in  i :  18,  "  Christ  Jesus  "  not  at  all.     In  i :  16;    27:  17, 

22  the  words  "  Jesus  "  and  "  Christ  "  are  separated.  "  Christ  " 
alone  as  an  official  name  is  found  in  26  :  68,  "  thou  Christ,"  where 
his  enemies  taunt  him  with  the  word.  The  other  passages  in 
Matthew  are  translated  "  the  Christ  "  (i :  17;    2:4;    16 :  16,  20; 

23  :  8 ;  24 :  5)  in  this  version,  and  rightly  so,  since  the  article 
is  used.  On  meaning  of  the  term  see  note  on  Matt.  16 :  16. 
David.     Not  merely  Davidic  descent;    the   Son  of   David  was 

SI 


MATTHEW 


2.  Abraham  begat  Isaac;  and  Isaac  begat  Jacob;  and 

3.  Jacob  begat  Judah   and   his  brethren;    and  Judah 
begat  Perez  and  Zerah  of  Tamar;  and  Perez  begat 

4.  Hezron:  and  Hezron  begat  ^  Ram;  and  ^  Ram  begat 
Amminadab;  and  Amminadab  begat  Nahshon;  and 

5.  Nahshon  begat  Salmon;  and  Salmon  begat  Boaz  of 
Rahab;  and  Boaz  begat  Obed  of  Ruth;  and  Obed 

6.  begat  Jesse;  and  Jesse  begat  David  the  king. 

1  Gk.  Aram. 


a  Messianic  term  (Matt.  21:9.  Cf.  also  9:27;  15:22;  20: 
30  f . ;  22  :  42).  Jesus  himself  made  no  claim  to  his  Davidic 
descent,  probably  because  he  would  have  been  understood  as 
claiming  a  political  kingdom.  Abraham.  As  the  son  of  Abraham, 
Jesus  was  the  heir  of  the  covenant  made  to  Abraham,  the  father 
of  the  Jewish  people.  It  was  not  necessary  to  take  the  genealogy 
of  Jesus  further.  This  introductory  sentence  is  in  a  sense  an 
argument  for  the  author's  thesis. 

2.  Begat.  The  word  does  not  necessarily  mean  immediate 
ancestor  or  actual  father.  It  does  mean  that  the  line  of  descent 
runs  thus.  The  precise  fact  in  each  example  cited  has  to  be 
learned  from  the  Old  Testament.  Brethren.  Not  necessary  to 
the  genealogical  line,  but  mentioned  as  an  interesting  detail.  ^ 

3.  Zerah  of  Tamar.  It  is  not  perfectly  clear  why  this  item 
is  added.  The  line  goes  on  through  Perez  and  Hezron.  Zerah 
is  not  counted  in  the  list  of  fourteen.  The  story  of  the  birth  of 
the  twins  Perez  and  Zerah  (Gen.  38  :  27-30)  is  one  of  shame,  and 
a  still  more  shameful  story  is  that  of  the  ruin  of  Tamar  (Gen.  38  : 
13-26).  The  interest  of  the  author  in  these  details  may  be 
purely  historical,  as  they  are  out  of  the  ordinary.  It  is  possible 
that  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  the  friend  of  sinners,  as  he  was 
often  called,  may  have  been  the  motive  in  the  author  to  show  the 
fulness  of  God's  grace  to  sinners  in  the  previous  history  of  Israel. 
It  is  a  bit  remarkable  that  of  the  four  women  mentioned  in  the 
genealogy  three  (Tamar,  Rahab,  and  Bathsheba)  were  sinful. 
To  us  that  fact  would  seem  a  reason  for  not  mentioning  them. 
Ruth  was  a  Gentile  and  the  ancestor  of  David. 

5.  Rahab.  The  mention  of  Rahab  is  due,  of  course,  primarily 
to  the  part  that  she  played  in  the  conquest  of  Jericho  by  Joshua 
Qosh.  2:  I,  3;  6:  23).  She  is  included  in  the  roll  of  heroes  of 
faith    in    Hebrews    (11:31).     Ruth.     If    any  women    should    be 

52 


MATTHEW 


And  David  begat  Solomon  of  her  that  had  been  the  R 

7.  wife  of  Uriah;    and  Solomon  begat  Rehoboam;   and 

8.  Rehoboam  begat  Abijah ;  and  Abijah  begat  Asa ;  and 
Asa  begat    Jehoshaphat;    and    Jehoshaphat    begat 

9.  Joram ;   and  Joram  begat  Uzziah ;   and  Uzziah  begat 

mentioned  in  the  list,  it  is  not  hard  to  see  the  reason  for  naming 
Ruth.  She  was  not  merely  a  Gentile  who  brought  Gentile  blood 
into  the  ancestry  of  Jesus.  She  was  also  the  subject  of  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  books  in  the  Old  Testament.  She  was,  besides, 
near  to  the  time  of  David.  Like  the  other  women  she  is  not 
counted  in  the  fourteen. 

6.  David  the  king.  Very  conveniently  the  first  group  of 
fourteen  concludes  with  David.  He  was  the  recipient  of  the 
promise  for  a  spiritual  kingdom.  This  was  only  fulfilled  in  the 
Messianic  sense.  The  Messiah  was  to  be  the  true  son  of  David. 
So  the  title  "  King  "  is  given  here  to  David.  The  Messiah  was  to 
be  king  as  well  as  prophet  and  priest.  This  kingly  rule  was  fore- 
shadowed by  that  of  "  David  the  King."  His  was  the  great  royal 
name.  It  is  surely  hardly  necessary  to  find  in  the  numerical  value 
of  "David  "  in  Hebrew  (4  +  6  -f  4  =  14)  the  reason  for  the 
division  into  fourteen.  The  division  itself  is  a  convenience  to 
the  memory  and  no  better  places  for  a  break  could  be  found  than 
the  name  of  David  and  the  Captivity.  The  name  of  David 
marked  the  beginning  of  the  great  royal  line,  while  the  Captivity 
signalized  the  end  of  that  rule  and  the  beginning  of  exile  and 
bondage.  For  the  sources  of  these  names  in  this  list  of  fourteen 
see  Ruth  4 :  18-22  ;  i  Chron.  2  :  55-15. 

6.  David.  The  first  name  in  the  second  fourteen  is  that  of 
David  and  the  last  is  that  of  Jechoniah.  But  it  seems  clear  that 
Jechoniah  is  not  meant  to  be  counted  in  this  list,  but  only  in 
the  third  list.  There  are  thus  fourteen  in  the  second  list  only 
by  counting  David  twice.  This  is  an  artificial  method,  to  be 
sure,  but  the  division  itself  is  merely  a  numerical  device  for  the 
eye  and  the  memory.  Perhaps  the  marking  of  the  end  of  the 
second  fourteen  by  an  event  rather  than  a  man  is  the  reason  that 
Jechoniah  is  not  counted.  Her  that  had  been  the  wife  of  Uriah. 
The  ellipse  in  the  Greek  causes  no  difficulty  because  the  feminine 
article  alone  is  common  where  "  wife  "  is  not  expressed.  The 
dreadful  sin  of  David  toward  both  Uriah  and  Bathsheba  is  not 
here  told,  but  it  is  the  background  of  the  allusion  (2  Sam.  11  and 
12). 

8.  Uzziah.  The  names  of  three  kings  (Ahaziah,  Joash,  Ama- 
ziah)   are  omitted  in  the  line  between  Joram  and  Uzziah.     In 

53 


MATTHEW 


Jotham;    and  Jotham  begat  Ahaz;   and  Ahaz  begat 

10.  Hezekiah ;   and  Hezekiah  begat  Manasseh ;   and  Ma- 

11.  nasseh  begat  Amon;  and  Amon  begat  Josiah;  and 
Josiah  begat  Jechoniah  and  his  brethren,  at  the  time 
of  the  ^  carrying  away  to  Babylon. 

12.  And  after  the  carrying  away  to  Babylon,  Jechoniah 

13.  begat  Shealtiel ;  and  Shealtiel  begat  Zerubbabel ;  and 

1  Or,  removal  to  Babylon. 

all  probability  the  writer  leaves  them  out  on  purpose  in  order  to 
bring  his  scheme  into  three  fourteens.  The  term  "  begat  "  does 
not  demand  that  Uzziah  be  the  immediate  son  of  Joram,  but  only 
a  direct  descendant.  Cf.  "  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  David  the 
Son  of  Abraham."  See,  2  Chron.  22  :  9  for  similar  omission  in 
O.  T.  genealogy.  It  is  a  common  thing  in  the  O.  T.  lists.  In  fact 
it  is  more  than  likely  that  an  omission  occurs  in  the  first  fourteen 
in  verses  4  and  5.  Between  Hezron  and  Nahshon  only  two  names 
occur  for  four  hundred  years.  Cf.  Gen.  15:  13-16.  Then  also 
the  name  of  Eliakim  is  not  given  between  Josiah  and  Jechoniah  in 
verse  11.     So  also  King  Jehoiakim  is  not  mentioned. 

11.  Brethren.  They  were  the  "  uncles  "  of  Jechoniah  in  reality, 
sons  of  Josiah,  his  grandfather  (i  Chron.  3:  14;  2  Kgs.  24:  15). 
The  term  "  brethren  "  could  cover  blood  relatives  in  that  sense. 
At  the  time  of.  Not  to  be  pressed  too  closely.  Josiah  died 
eight  years  before  the  captivity  and  note  omissions  above. 

12.  Carrying  away  to  Babylon.  This  great  event  was  one  of  the 
landmarks  in  the  history  of  Israel  and  properly  is  placed  on  a 
par  with  the  reign  of  David  in  the  division  of  the  periods.  Jecho- 
niah was  eight  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  captivity  (2  Chron.  36  :  9) 
or  eighteen  apparently  from  2  Kgs.  24 :  8.  The  word  "  after  " 
denotes  the  beginning,  not  the  close,  of  the  exile.  It  is  not  the 
period  of  exile  that  is  taken  as  the  point  of  division,  but  rather 
the  entrance  upon  the  time  of  exile.  It  was  captivity,  but  the 
Greek  word  translated  "  carrying  away  "  or  "  removal  "  is  an 
euphemistic  term  in  this  connection.  Shealtiel.  The  Greek 
form  is  Salathiel.  He  is  given  as  the  father  of  Zerubbabel  in 
Ezra  3:2;  5:2;  Neh.  12:1;  Hag.  1:1;  2:2;  Lk.  3:27,  but  in 
I  Chron.  3:19  Pedaiah  is  said  to  be  the  father  of  Zerubbabel. 
Shealtiel  had  a  brother  of  this  name.  The  evidence  is  in  favor  of 
Shealtiel.  It  is,  of  course,  possible  that  Shealtiel  may  also  have 
had  a  son  named  Pedaiah. 

13.  Abiud  .  .  .  Jacob.     These  nine  names  fall  outside  of  the 

54 


MATTHEW 


Zerubbabel  begat  Abiud ;   and  Abiud  begat  Eliakim ; 

14.  and  Eliakim  begat  Azor ;  and  Azor  begat  Sadoc ;  and 

15.  Sadoc  begat  Achim;    and  Achim  begat  Eliud;    and 
Eliud  begat  Eleazar;    and  Eleazar  begat  Matthan; 

16.  and  Matthan  begat  Jacob ;   and  Jacob  begat  Joseph 

Old  Testament  record.  One  is  not  justified  in  rejecting  them  for 
that  reason.  The  Jews  kept  their  genealogies  carefully.  We 
have  no  means  of  knowing  how  many  names  are  skipped  in  this 
list. 

16.  Joseph.  The  natural  meaning  of  the  use  of  "  begat  " 
with  Joseph  is  that  it  is  the  real  lineage  of  Joseph  that  is  given. 
If  Jesus  was  not  the  actual  son  of  Joseph,  the  genealogy  would 
not  then  be  the  real  lineage  of  Jesus,  but  only  his  legal  genealogy. 
But  before  Jewish  law  and  custom  Jesus  as  the  son  of  Mary,  the 
wife  of  Joseph,  would  be  the  legal  son  of  Joseph.  His  legal  gen- 
ealogy was  that  of  Joseph.  Hence  Matthew,  writing  for  Jews,  to 
prove  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  traces  the  lineage  through  Joseph. 
This  point  is  much  disputed,  but  on  the  whole  this  seems  the  most 
natural  interpretation.  The  genealogy  of  Jesus  given  in  Luke 
3  :  23-38  is  in  the  opposite  order  to  that  in  Matthew  and  goes 
all  the  way  to  "  Adam,  the  son  of  God."  Jesus  is  there  brought 
into  relation  with  mankind  as  "  the  son  of  man  "  and  man  is 
linked  directly  to  God.  Luke,  because  of  the  inverse  order,  uses 
the  expression  "  son  of  "  rather  than  "  begat  "  as  in  Matthew. 
The  line  from  David  back  to  Abraham  is  the  same  as  in  Matthew, 
except  that  Aram  appears  as  Arni  in  most  manuscripts.  But  from 
Joseph  to  David  the  lines  are  distinct,  save  in  Shealtiel.  It  is  a 
question  calling  for  more  detailed  discussion  than  is  permissible 
here.  The  most  probable  explanation  of  the  difference  is  that 
Luke  is  giving  the  real  genealogy  of  Jesus  through  Mary.  This 
is  the  phase  of  his  lineage  that  would  have  interest  for  his  Greek 
readers,  not  the  legal  genealogy  of  Joseph.  Hence  the  difference. 
Indeed,  Luke  (3 :  23)  almost  implied  by  the  parenthesis  "  as 
was  supposed  "  that  he  is  not  going  to  give  the  genealogy  of 
Joseph,  though  he  mentions  his  name  in  passing.  The  order  of 
the  words  in  Lk.  2  :  5  is  ambiguous  in  the  Greek,  and  it  is  not 
clearly  there  stated  that  Mary  belonged  to  the  family  of  David 
as  did  Joseph,  but  in  Lk.  i :  S3  the  angel  Gabriel  is  represented 
as  saying  to  Mary  that  God  will  give  to  her  son  "  the  throne  of  his 
father  David."  All  things  considered  it  seems  probable  that  Mary 
also  was  a  descendant  of  David.  The  husband  of  Mary.  This 
is  the  chief  distinction  of  Joseph,  Matthew  tells  the  story  of  the 
birth  of  Jesus  from  the  standpoint  of  Joseph,  as  Luke  gives  it  from 

55 


MATTHEW 


the  husband  of  Mary,  of  whom  was  born  Jesus,  who 
is  called  Christ. 
R  17.  So  all  the  generations  from  Abraham  unto  David 
are  fourteen  generations;  and  from  David  unto  the 
carrying  away  to  Babylon  fourteen  generations ;  and 
from  the  carr^^ng  away  to  Babylon  unto  the  Christ 
fourteen  generations. 

the  point  of  view  of  Mary.  Joseph,  it  must  be  noted,  bears  him- 
self in  the  noblest  manner  in  very  trying  circumstances.  He 
was  evidently  a  true  man  and  worthy  of  his  wife.  Of  whom  was 
bom  Jesus.  This  reading  distinctly  denies  that  Joseph  was  the 
real  father  of  Jesus.  The  genuineness  of  this  text  is  questioned 
by  some,  since  the  Sinaitic-Syriac  Palimpsest  reads  :  ''  Jacob  begat 
Joseph.  Joseph,  to  whom  was  betrothed  Mary,  the  Virgin,  begat 
Jesus  called  the  Christ."  It  is  improbable  that  this  Syriac  read- 
ing is  the  true  text,  since  in  i  :  18-20  the  present  text  is  found.  We 
probably  have  in  the  Syriac  Ms.  an  early  corruption  of  the  text 
in  the  interest  of  Ebionitic  teaching  which  denied  the  deity  of 
Jesus.  The  "  Ferrar  "  group  of  manuscripts  have  the  reading : 
"  Jacob  begat  Joseph,  him  to  whom  was  betrothed  Mary  the 
Virgin,  she  who  bare  Jesus  the  Christ."  But  the  accepted  text  is 
the  genuine  one  and  is  in  harmony  with  the  -rest  of  Matthew's 
narrative.  Some  scholars,  however,  consider  it  possible  that 
the  change  here  was  made  in  the  opposite  direction  from  the  read- 
ing which  suggested  the  actual  paternity  of  Joseph  to  the  present 
text.  Christ.  The  word  is  here  used  as  a  proper  name  without 
the  article  in  the  Greek,  but  with  the  intervening  article  and  par- 
ticiple "  who  is  called."  Cf. '*  the  Christ  "in  verse  17  =the  Messiah. 
17.  So.  The  inferential  particle  merely  refers  to  the  artificial 
arrangement  already  made,  not  to  any  logical  necessity  in  the 
matter.  All.  He  does  not  mean  all  the  possible  or  actual  genera- 
tions, but  all  that  he  has  named  in  his  lists.  Generations.  Here  in 
the  plural  in  the  sense  of  "  birth  "  and  used  of  each  of  the  persons 
mentioned.  It  is  the  same  word  found  in  1:1.  Foixrteen.  It 
would  be  possible  to  get  the  three  fourteens  by  counting  Jechoniah 
twice  instead  of  David  twice.  But  the  fact  that  David  is  here 
named  as  the  end  of  the  first  list  and  that  his  name  heads  the 
second  list  in  this  summary  argues  for  David  as  the  one  who  is 
counted  twice.  It  was  long  ago  pointed  out  that  the  three  (a 
favorite  number  in  Matthew)  divisions  here  correspond  with 
three  great  periods  of  Israelitish  history  (judges,  kings,  priests  :  or 
theocracy,    monarchy,    hierarchy).     They    also    mark    the   rise, 

S6 


MATTHEW 


2.  A  Virgin  Birth  according  to  Prophecy,  i :  18-25 

18.       Now  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ  was  on  this  wise:  R 
When  his  mother  Mary  had  been  betrothed  to  Joseph, 
before  they  came  together  she  was  found  with  child  of 

decline,  and  ruin  of  the  government  and  of  the  religious  life  of  the 
people.  The  mountain  peaks  of  Israelitish  history  are  Abraham, 
David,  the  Babylonian  Captivity,  Christ. 

18.  Birth.  The  same  Greek  word  as  "  generation,"  i :  i,  but 
**  birth  "  is  clearly  the  correct  translation  here,  as  may  indeed  be 
true  of  1:1.  Jesus  Christ.  The  text  is  not  absolutely  certain, 
though  this  is  probably  correct.  The  two  words  give  in  a  con- 
densed form  the  theme  of  the  whole  book,  the  Messiahship  of 
Jesus.  On  this  wise.  The  author  writes  with  an  air  of  con- 
scious truthfulness,  fully  aware  of  the  great  significance  of  his 
narrative.  The  style  of  narrative  contrasts  strongly  for  the  better 
with  the  somewhat  similar  matters  told  in  the  legends  of  the  birth 
of  heroes  from  the  union  of  gods  and  women.  The  apocryphal 
gospels  lack  the  delicate  restraint  shown  here.  One  is  not  justi- 
fied in  branding  the  narrative  of  Matthew  as  legendary  because  of 
the  element  of  wonder  in  it.  The  birth  of  Jesus  is  a  fact,  the  most 
transcendent  fact  in  the  history  of  this  planet  since  the  appear- 
ance of  man  upon  it.  The  explanation  offered  by  Matthew's 
Gospel  is  in  harmony  with  the  life  and  character  of  Jesus  as  told 
in  all  the  Gospels  and  as  interpreted  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
the  Epistles,  and  the  Apocalypse.  The  denial  of  this  explanation 
brings  graver  problems  than  it  solves.  The  independence  of 
Luke's  narrative  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  as  to  the  source  and  point 
of  view  really  strengthens  the  evidence  from  the  points  of  agree- 
ment, viz.  the  virgin  birth,  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
appearance  of  the  angel.  There  is  a  reason  for  the  appearance  of 
the  angel  to  both  Mary  and  Joseph.  Mary  was  perplexed  and 
full  of  fear  and  joy.  The  wonder  and  the  glory  of  her  case  did  not 
free  her  from  very  obvious  difficulties.  The  message  of  the  angel 
was  needed.  But  Joseph  was  likewise  to  be  troubled  with  a 
righteous  man's  gravest  apprehension.  It  is  to  be  remembered 
that  Mark  probably  wrote  his  Gospel  in  Rome,  where  the  birth  of 
Jesus  may  have  created  no  interest  as  it  had  not  apparently  in  the 
apostolic  preaching  (cf.  Acts  and  Paul's  Epistles).  But  by  the 
time  the  Greek  Matthew  and  Luke's  Gospel  were  written  there 
was  felt  to  be  need  to  tell  the  truth  about  this  matter,  probably  in 
answer  to  the  calumnies  of  the  Jews.  There  was  at  first  then  a 
proper  reticence  on  this  subject  in  public  discussions  probably 
till  after  the  death  of  Mary.     Betrothed.     According  to  Jewish 

57 


MATTHEW 


19.  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  Joseph  her  husband,  being  a 
righteous  man,  and  not  wilUng  to  make  her  a  pubUc 

20.  example,  was  minded  to  put  her  away  privily.  But 
when  he  thought  on  these  things,  behold,  an  angel  of 
the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a  dream,  saying,  Jo- 
seph, thou  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take  unto  thee 
Mary  thy  wife :   for  that  which  is  conceived  in  her  is 

21.  of  the  Holy  Ghost.    And  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son; 


custom  this  was  a  legal  bond  and  could  not  be  broken  except  by 
a  practical  divorce. 

19.  Joseph  her  husband.  He  is  so  called  before  marriage  as 
is  Mary  named  his  "  wife."  Cf.  Dt.  22  :  24.  One  could  wish  for 
more  details  about  the  lives  of  both  Mary  and  Joseph.  Those 
that  Luke  gives  about  Mary  do  not_  justify  Mariolatry,  but  they 
do  present  a  woman  of  the  purest,  highest  character  and  one  who 
merits  more  consideration  than  some  Protestants  give  her. 
Righteous  man.  A  religious  man  and  so  not  able  to  go  on  and 
carry  out  the  marriage  contract,  but  also  a  kindly  man  and  so  not 
willing  to  report  her  to  the  authorities  and  make  a  formal  applica- 
tion for  divorce  by  judicial  procedure.  The  law  (Dt.  22:  23  f.) 
required  stoning  for  an  adulteress,  but  it  was  not  understood  as 
compulsory.  Joseph  would  hardly  have  considered  as  necessary 
that  extreme  measure.  He  declined  to  make  her  a  public  example 
by  exposure.  Hence  he  decided  on  a  private  arrangement  with  a 
bill  of  divorce  (Matt.  5:31).  Mary  with  her  child  would  thus  be 
left  in  the  house  of  her  parents.  Minded.  The  word  in  the  Greek 
indicates  definite  purpose  rather  than  mere  desire. 

20.  Thought.  It  is  the  aorist  participle  in  the  Greek  and  sug- 
gests a  crisis  in  his  perplexities  in  this  matter.  Angel.  In  Lk. 
1 :  26  it  is  the  angel  Gabriel  who  appeared  to  Mary.  Dream.  In 
Matthew  alone  in  the  N.  T.  dreams  are  a  frequent  means  of  com- 
munication by  God  (1:20;  2:12,  13,  19;  27:19).  Cf.  also 
Acts  2:  17.  Son  of  David.  This  fact  confirms  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  genealogy  above  as  that  of  Joseph  and  merely  the  legal 
genealogy  of  Jesus.  Fear  not.  He  had  feared  to  take  her.  He 
is  called  to  courage,  to  dare  face  public  opinion  in  this  matter.  It 
is  easier  to  front  a  battle  line.  For.  The  reason  is  as  surprising 
as  the  command.  He  was  commanded  to  go  against  his  own  con- 
victions and  the  custom  of  his  people.  That  required  a  remark- 
able reason. 

21.  Son.     Joseph  is  told  the  whole  truth  which  he  has  to  face. 

^     I 


MATTHEW 


and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus  ;  for  it  is  he  that 
22.   shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins.     Now  all  this  is 
come  to  pass,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was 
spoken  by  the  Lord  through  the  prophet,  saying, 


Cf.  Gen.  17:  19,  the  birth  of  Isaac.  Shalt  call.  The  angel  now 
assumes  that  Joseph  will  acquiesce  in  the  demand  here  made  upon 
him.  The  appeal  is  to  the  religious  hopes  of  his  people  as  well  as 
to  the  highest  part  of  Joseph's  nature.  Jesus.  It  is  the  Greek 
form  of  Joshua  (Josh,  i :  i).  But  this  in  turn  is  contracted  from 
Jehoshuah  (Num.  13  :  16)  and  means  "  Jehovah  is  salvation." 
Sometimes  it  appears  also  as  Jeshua  (Neh.  7:7,  etc.).  Hence 
Jesus  in  the  Greek.  The  name  is  not  infrequent  for  various  per- 
sons (i  Sam.  6  :  14,  18 ;  2  Kgs.  23  :  8 ;  Josephus,  Ant.,  VI.  6.  6.  etc.). 
But  the  great  captain  who  led  the  people  into  Canaan  is  the  one 
usually  in  mind  when  this  name  is  used.  Another  prominent 
Joshua  was  the  high  priest  who  came  with  Zerubbabel  back  to 
Jerusalem  from  exile  (Ezra  2:2).  In  a  real  sense  as  spiritual  King 
and  spiritual  priest  Jesus  was  like  both  of  these  Joshuas  of  old. 
He  is  become  the  true  Joshua  of  Israel.  For.  The  reason  for  this 
name  given  to  Mary  by  the  angel  (Lk.  1:31  f.).  The  reason  is 
the  expansion  of  the  etymology  of  the  name.  Cf.  Ps.  130 :  8. 
The  term  "  Saviour  "  will  be  applied  to  Jesus  as  a  just  translation 
of  his  work  into  a  Greek  word.  Joseph  is  not  here  told  that  it  is 
only  the  spiritual  Israel  (including  both  Gentile  and  Jew)  who  will 
be  freed  from  their  sins.  That  is  a  matter  that  time  will  make 
clear  (Rom.  9 :  6,  25),  but  Simeon  will  see  that  "  the  child  Jesus  " 
will  be  "  a  light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of 
thy  people  Israel  "  (Lk.  2:32).  It  is  clear  that  the  Messiah  is  not 
to  be  a  political  ruler,  as  the  people  had  come  to  think  under  the 
teaching  of  the  Pharisees.  He  will  have  a  greater  task  than  that 
of  ridding  Palestine  of  the  Romans.  He  will  undertake  to  rid 
men  of  their  sins. 

22.  Now  all  this  is  come  to  pass.  Do  we  have  still  the  words 
of  the  angel?  Or  does  the  author  here  add  his  own  comment? 
This  phrase  occurs  three  times  in  Matthew.  In  2 1 :  4  the  language 
is  ambiguous,  but  most  probably  gives  the  comment  of  the  writer. 
In  26 :  56  we  seem  most  naturally  to  have  the  words  of  Jesus.  In 
the  present  instance  opinion  is  divided,  but  it  is  on  the  whole  more 
probable  that  we  have  the  author's  comments,  since,  when  the 
angel  spoke,  none  of  these  things  had  come  to  pass.  That  it 
might  be  fulfilled.  This  is  a  formula  of  quotation  common  in 
Matthew  (2:  IS,  23;  4:14;  8:17;  13:35;  21:4;  26:56).  It 
IS  not  used  of  result,  but  only  of  purpose.     But  it  is  the  divine 

59 


MATTHEW 


23.  Behold,  the  virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and  shall  bring 

forth  a  son. 
And  they  shall  call  his  name  Immanuel ; 

24.  which  is,  being  interpreted,  God  with  us.    And  Joseph 
arose  from  his  sleep,  and  did  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord 

25.  commanded  him,  and  took  unto  him  his  wife;    and 


purpose  in  the  correspondence  of  the  two  events,  not  necessarily 
the  prophet's  own  idea.  The  prophet  usually  saw  only  the  im- 
mediate historical  perspective,  though  sometimes  the  future 
Messianic  correspondence  was  dimly  in  his  eye  (i  Pet.  i :  10-12). 
In  the  present  instance  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  the 
prophet  (Isa.  7  :  14)  had  the  Messiah  in  his  mind  at  all.  He  did 
use  language  that  suited  the  immediate  historical  situation  and  it 
has  found  a  wonderful  parallel  in  the  birth  of  Jesus.  Hence  the 
author  of  the  Gospel  feels  justified  in  saying  that  it  was  a  designed 
coincidence  on  the  part  of  the  Lord  who  spoke  the  original  proph- 
ecy through  the  prophet.  One  needs  to  remember  that  the 
unifying  force  in  Israelitish  history  and  Scripture  is  God  himself. 
His  purpose  runs  through  it  all.  Certainly  the  chief  interest 
that  the  author  of  this  Gospel  has  in  the  O.  T.  is  the  religious  use 
of  it  to  illustrate  the  life  of  Jesus  the  Messiah.  The  quotation  in 
this  instance  is  substantially  from  the  LXX. 

23.  Virgin.  The  context  in  Isa.  7:10^-17  shows  that  the 
birth  of  the  son  of  a  virgin  (or  maiden)  was  to  be  a  sign  to  Ahaz. 
There  was  then  of  course  the  historical  application.  The  Hebrew 
word  for  "  virgin  "  is  almah  (one  not  yet  a  wife),  not  bethulah 
(one  who  will  not  marry).  Some  modern  scholars  think  that 
Isaiah  really  had  in  mind  a  supernatural  birth  of  a  child  in  the  time 
of  Ahaz  and  was  using  current  mythological  terms  for  that  idea. 
Immanuel.  This  was  to  be  the  actual  name  of  the  child  born  in  the 
time  of  Ahaz,  Emmanuel  in  the  Greek.  It  is  a  Hebrew  word  and 
means,  as  is  explained,  "  God  with  us."  The  word  of  itself  does 
not  imply  incarnation.  In  the  instance  in  Isa.  7  :  14  it  was  a  visi- 
tation of  God  with  power  in  connection  with  the  incident.  But 
here  much  more  is  put  into  the  phrase  because  a  real  incarnation 
of  God  has  taken  place  in  the  person  of  Jesus.  It  is  easier  to  see  a 
correspondence  after  the  event  has  occurred. 

24.  Did  as  the  angel  of  the  lord  commanded  him.  When  he 
awoke  from  sleep,  he  did  not  dismiss  the  dream  as  a  mere  dream. 
On  the  contrary  Joseph  promptly  completed  the  marriage  cere- 
mony and  took  Mary  under  the  shelter  of  his  own  house. 

25.  Knew  her  not  till.     The  only  natural  meaning  of  this 

60 


MATTHEW 


knew  her  not  till  she  had  brought  forth  a  son :  and  he 
called  his  name  Jesus. 

3.  Birth  in  Bethlehem  according  to  Prophecy j  and  Reception 
of  the  Child  King,  2  :  i-i  2 

2.       Now  when  Jesus  was  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judaea  R 
in  the  days  of  Herod  the  king,  behold,  ^  wise  men  from 

1  Gk.  Magi.    Cf.  Esther  i :  13  ;   Dan.  2:12. 

language  is  that  Joseph  did  live  with  Mary  as  husband  with  wife 
after  the  birth  of  the  child  Jesus,  though  not  before.  The  im- 
perfect tense  in  the  Greek  makes  the  point  still  plainer.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Jesus  (Matt.  13  :  55  f.)  are  therefore  prob- 
ably the  children  of  Joseph  and  Mary,  born  after  Jesus,  and 
strictly  half-brothers  and  half-sisters  of  Jesus.  This  is  a  much 
disputed  question,  but  the  natural  explanation  is  the  one  here 
given.  He  called.  Joseph,  as  the  reputed  father,  names  the 
child  Jesus  according  to  the  angel's  instructions,  which  had  been 
given  also  to  Mary  (Lk.  1:31). 

I.  Bethlehem.  The  allusion  to  the  place  seems  incidental  and 
assumes  knowledge  of  the  fact  on  the  part  of  the  readers  of  the 
Gospel.  This  is  the  first  mention  of  the  place  and  there  is  nothing 
told  about  the  home  in  Nazareth  and  the  journey  to  Bethlehem 
given  by  Luke  (2  :  1-7).  The  chief  interest  of  Matthew  is  not  in 
this  aspect  of  the  matter,  but  in  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy,  in 
the  reverence  done  the  child  by  the  scholars  from  the  east,  and 
in  the  hostile  spirit  of  Herod.  There  was  another  Bethlehem  in 
Zebulon  (Galilee).  Cf.  Josh.  19:  15.  This  Bethlehem  in  Judea 
is  associated  with  Ruth.  The  name  means  "  house  of  bread." 
Here  David  was  born.  Here  also  was  born  the  Son  of  David. 
In  the  days  of  Herod  the  king.  The  point  of  time  does  not  seem 
very  precise  as  we  count  time.  But  at  least  we  know  that  the 
birth  of  Jesus  was  before  the  death  of  Herod  the  King  (or  the 
Great,  as  he  was  usually  called;  cf.  also  Lk.  i :  5).  That  event 
took  place,  according  to  Josephus  {Ant.  xvii.  6)  in  the  year  B.C.  4. 
This  fact  is  obtained  not  merely  from  an  eclipse  of  the  moon 
which  is  mentioned  by  Josephus,  but  also  from  the  length  of  the 
rule  of  Archelaus.  A  good  many  lines  of  argument  converge  in 
B.C.  5  as  the  year  of  the  birth  of  Jesus.  The  new  discovery  of 
the  fourteen  years  C3'^cle  for  the  periodic  census  instituted  by 
Augustus  argues  for  a  rather  earlier  date,  say  B.C.  7.  The  somewhat 
vague  expression  of  Matthew  here  does  not  necessarily  mean  that 

61 


MATTHEW 


2.   the  east  came  to  Jerusalem,  saying,  Where  is  he  that  is 
born  King  of  the  Jews  ?  for  we  saw  his  star  in  the  east, 

he  was  uncertain  himself  on  the  point.  Cf.  also  Lk.  2:1.  The 
ancients  seldom  felt  the  need  for  exact  dates  that  moderns  like. 
The  character  of  Herod  the  Great  is  drawn  with  great  vividness 
by  Josephus  (Ant.  xiv-xviii).  He  was  an  Idumean,  a  friend  of 
the  Romans,  fond  of  Greek  customs,  hated  by  the  Pharisees  and 
the  Jews  generally  for  his  innovations  and  cruelties,  but  a  man  of 
great  vigor  and  force  of  character.  He  had  rebuilt  (or  begun  to 
rebuild,  rather)  the  temple.  His  will  had  been  changed  several 
times  because  of  suspicions  towards  and  jealousies  between  his 
various  sons  and  his  wives,  mother,  sister,  and  mother-in-law. 
Even  now  he  was  in  poor  health  and  abnormally  sensitive  about 
any  question  that  affected  the  succession  after  his  death,  which 
he  knew  was  not  far  off.  Wise  men  from  the  east.  The  Greek 
word  mago  (Latin  magi)  is  "the  one  from  which  we  get  magic, 
magician.  The  word  in  itself  merely  means  "  great."  Cf.  Simon 
"  Magus  "  in  Acts  8  :  9  f .,  who  gave  it  out  that "  he  was  some  great 
one."  Greatness  in  learning  often  seems  magical  to  the  popular 
mind.  The  interpretation  of  the  star  by  these  men  has  suggested 
to  many  that  they  were  astrologers,  not  mere  astronomers,  a  fine 
distinction  drawn  in  more  recent  times.  This  is  possible,  but  not 
certain.  But  at  any  rate  they  are  represented  as  men  of  learning 
and  of  insight.  Hence  the  term  "  wise  men  "  well  combines  both 
conceptions.  There  is  no  proof  that  they  were  kings.  We  are 
not  told  from  what  part  of  the  east  they  came,  nor  how  many 
they  were.  The  mention  of  three  gifts  does  not  show  that  they 
were  three  in  number,  least  of  all  that  they  were  respectively 
representatives  of  the  races  descended  from  Shem,  Ham,  and 
Japheth.  The  historical  character  of  this  visit  has  been  vigor- 
ously attacked,  but  on  insufficient  grounds.  There  was  a  general 
expectation  that  a  Deliverer  of  the  world  would  come  from  the 
east  (Virgil,  Eclogue  iv).  Some  held  that  he  would  be  a  Jew. 
This  expectation  may  have  been  an  indirect  reflection  of  the  Jew- 
ish messianic  hope,  since  the  Jews  were  scattered  all  over  the 
world.  There  is  no  adequate  reason  to  doubt  the  reality  of  this 
visit.  The  east  had  long  been  the  home  of  culture  and  in  Babylon 
the  stars  were  studied  from  many  points  of  view.  These  magi 
may  even  have  all  come  from  the  same  country.  Jerusalem. 
They  had  interpreted  the  appearance  of  the  star  to  mean  the 
birth  of  a  new  King  of  the  Jews.  Hence  they  came  to  the  capital 
of  Judea  for  further  information. 

2.    Where.     They  seem  to  have  made  a  general  inquiry,  ques- 
tioning those  whom  they  met  in  Jerusalem.     The  question  relates 

62 


MATTHEW 


3.   and  are  come  to  worship  him.    And  when  Herod  the 
king  heard  it,  he  was  troubled,  and  all  Jerusalem  with 

only  to  the  place,  not  to  the  fact.  Their  own  inference  drawn 
from  the  star  is  assumed  as  true.  King  of  the  Jews.  Herod  is 
still  King  of  the  Jews  and  he  has  made  a  new  will  for  the  succes- 
sion. But  in  the  minds  of  the  wise  men  the  expression  has  refer- 
ence to  that  Deliverer  of  the  World  looked  for  by  the  Jews  and 
others.  They  are  plainly  not  Jews  themselves,  though  the  new- 
born king  is  a  Jew  who  is  to  have  a  world-wide  dominion  of  some 
sort.  Hence  the  appeal  to  their  homage.  How  far  they  ap- 
prehended the  nature  of  this  king  and  his  kingdom  is  largely 
speculative,  though  the  worship  rendered  by  them  to  the  Babe 
at  Bethlehem  suggests  more  knowledge  than  we  should  otherwise 
suppose.  His  star.  Both  of  these  words  occasion  difficulty. 
Why  "  his  "  star  ?  The  connection  of  stars  with  birth  is  very  com- 
mon among  the  ancient  astrologers.  Magi  at  the  birth  of  Alexan- 
der the  Great  predicted,  according  to  Cicero,  that  the  destroyer 
of  Asia  was  born.  Why  the  magi  associated  a  star  with  the  birth 
of  the  long-expected  King  of  the  Jews  we  have  no  means  of  know- 
ing. According  to  Balaam's  prophecy  the  Messiah  himself  was 
to  be  the  Star  (Num.  24  :  17).  There  is  nothing  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment concerning  a  star  connected  with  the  birth  of  the  Messiah. 
The  magi  made  the  connection  themselves  and  drew  their  own 
inferences.  The  chief  difficulty,  however,  concerns  the  star  itself. 
All  sorts  of  theories  have  been  advanced  to  explain  the  appearance 
of  an  unusual  star  at  this  time.  The  conjunction  of  the  planets 
Jupiter  and  Saturn  about  that  time  (year  of  Rome  747)  is  held  by 
some  to  be  the  explanation.  But  the  conjunction,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  was  never  very  close.  Others  find  here  the  sudden  flash- 
ing up  of  a  new  sun  from  the  collision  of  two  dead  worlds.  Others 
see  in  it  a  comet.  Others  again  consider  it  a  miracle  granted  to 
the  magi  to  guide  their  steps.  It  is  not  necessary  that  astrology 
should  be  true  or  that  the  magi  should  have  had  accurate  scientific 
data  for  them  to  have  been  providentially  led.  In  the  east. 
It  is  not  probable  that  the  magi  meant  that  the  star  was  in  the 
east,  but  rather  that  they  were  in  the  east  when  they  saw  the 
star,  which  was  apparently  in  the  west  or  southwest.  Indeed,  it  is 
entirely  possible  that  "  in  the  east  "  is  a  mistranslation  for  "  at 
the  rising."  The  plural  (cf.  vs.  i)  is  usual  for  "  the  east."  The 
meaning  would  then  be  that  we  saw  a  star  as  soon  as  it  appeared 
on  the  horizon.  This  interpretation  would  go  well  with  the 
notion  of  comet.  Worship.  They  seem  to  mean  more  than  to  do 
obeisance  or  show  respect.  They  may  or  may  not  attribute  deity 
to  the  Child,  but  they  attach  some  divine  significance  to  his  birth. 

63 


MATTHEW 


4.  him.  And  gathering  together  all  the  chief  priests  and 
scribes  of  the  people,  he  inquired  of  them  where  the 

5.  Christ  should  be  bom.  And  they  said  unto  him,  In 
Bethlehem  of  Judaea:  for  thus  it  is  written  by  the 
prophet, 

Cf.  vs.  II.     In  vs.  8  Herod's  use  of  the  term  is  probably  by  way  of 
mockery.     The  word  occurs  thirteen  times  in  Matthew. 

3.  Heard  it.  As  he  was  bound  to.  A  matter  of  so  much  im- 
portance was  certain  to  come  to  his  ears  sooner  or  later.  Troubled. 
Perhaps  after  all  none  of  his  sons  would  succeed  him,  but  a  new 
dynasty  be  established,  as  the  Pharisees  had  already  predicted. 
A  new  king,  whose  birth  had  aroused  interest  so  far  from  home, 
might  even  be  a  rival  to  Herod  himself.  All  Jerusalem.  They 
were  troubled  because  Herod  was  troubled.  They  knew  by  sad 
experience  what  he  could  do  when  enraged  by  jealousy. 

4.  Chief  priests.  Probably  a  meeting  of  the  Sanhedrin  is 
called  by  Herod.  ''  Elders  "  are  not  here  mentioned,  but  "  scribes 
of  the  people  "  is  Hke  "  elders  of  the  people  "  in  Matt.  26 :  3.  Cf. 
16:  21  for  all  three  classes  in  the  Sanhedrin.  It  is  objected  by 
some  that,  since  Herod  had  once  slain  so  many,  members  of  the 
Sanhedrin,  they  would  not  now  respond  to  such  a  call  from  him. 
But  the  effect  may  have  been  just  the  opposite  to  that.  If  it  is  a 
meeting  of  the  Sanhedrin  called  by  Herod,  it  is  interesting  to  note 
how  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  rulers  will  unite  again  to_  put  to 
death  the  One  whose  birthplace  they  are  here  investigating. 
The  Christ.  Up  to  this  point  it  is  not  made  clear  who  is  the  per- 
son in  the  mind  of  the  magi.  Did  they  make  their  meaning 
clear  or  was  this  the  inference  of  Herod?  He  would  naturally 
know  something  of  the  Messianic  expectations  of  the  Jews.  He 
knew  also  that  they  looked  for  a  poUtical  Messiah  whose  king- 
dom would  be  world-wide.  If  this  Messiah  had  already  been 
born,  the  kingdom  of  Herod  would  vanish,  unless  the  new  king 
should  be  destroyed.  The  desperation  of  Herod  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  he  does  not  hesitate  to  attack  so  august  a  person  as  the 
Jewish  Messiah.  But  he  probably  did  not  share  the  Jewish  feel- 
ing on  that  point.  The  religious  leaders  would  know  the  teaching 
of  their  Scriptures  as  to  the  place  of  his  birth.  Ostensibly,  there- 
fore, Herod  proposed  to  assist  the  magi  in  their  search. 

5.  They  said.  The  populace  (see  Jn.  7:27)  had  the  notion, 
reflected  in  the  Talmud  also,  that  the  Messiah  would  come  from 
an  unknown  region  or  might  even  drop  out  of  the  sky  (cf.  Matt. 
4:5  ff.).  But  some  of  the  people  know  the  Scripture  on  the  sub- 
ject (Jn.  7 :  42)  and  will  find  the  Galilean  residence  a  stumbling- 

64 


MATTHEW 


6.  And  thou  Bethlehem,  land  of  Judah, 

Art  in  no  wise  least  among  the  princes  of  Judah : 
For  out  of  thee  shall  come  forth  a  governor, 
Which  shall  be  shepherd  of  my  people  Israel. 

7.  Then  Herod  privily  called  the  wise  men,  and  learned 

8.  of  them  carefully  what  time  the  star  appeared.  And 
he  sent  them  to  Bethlehem,  and  said.  Go  and  search 
out  carefully  concerning  the  young  child;  and  when 
ye  have  found  him,  bring  me  word,  that  I  also  may 

9.  come  and  worship  him.  And  they,  having  heard  the 
king,  went  their  way ;  and  lo,  the  star,  which  they  saw 
in  the  east,  went  before  them,  till  it  came  and  stood 

block  to  the  acceptance  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  It  is  no  matter 
of  surprise  that  the  religious  leaders  are  familiar  with  Micah.  5  :  2, 
which  they  are  apparently  represented  as  quoting  to  Herod. 
The  astonishing  thing  is  that  they  take  so  little  interest  in  the  mat- 
ter. They  seem  to  let  it  drop.  They  may  have  regarded  the 
whole  matter  as  one  of  Herod's  whims  or  the  magi  as  beside  them- 
selves with  astrological  lore.  After  the  slaughter  of  the  babes  in 
Bethlehem  the  matter  was  probably  regarded  as  a  closed  incident. 
For.  The  quotation  may  be  given  by  the  writer  and  not  meant  to 
be  spoken  by  the  Sanhedrin,  though  it  seems  to  be  addressed  to 
Herod  as  the  reason  for  their  opinions. 

6.  P*rinces.  Or  governors  where  the  Hebrew  has  "  thousands." 
So  Matthew  has  "  shepherds  "  where  Micah  has  "  rule."  The 
quotation  seems  to  be  a  free  translation  from  the  Hebrew  and  varies 
in  several  details  of  no  great  importance.  This  "  governor  " 
from  Bethlehem  was  identified  with  the  Messiah. 

7.  Privily  called.  Not  the  Sanhedrin  this  time.  His  real 
purpose  he  concealed  from  both  Sanhedrin  and  magi.  Besides, 
publicity  might  thwart  his  purpose  regarding  the  Child  and  create 
undue  excitement.  Carefully.  Accurately.  This  minute  in- 
quiry was  partly  to  allay  suspicions  on  the  part  of  the  magi  and 
partly  to  learn  the  probable  age  of  the  Child,  which  he  would  need 
to  know  in  connection  with  his  plan  of  destruction. 

8.  I  also.  Herod  expressed  complete  sympathy  with  the  wise 
men  and  probably  deceived  them  so  far.     Cf.  vs.  12. 

9.  "Went  before  them.  We  can  hardly  suppose  (cf.  "  ap- 
peared "  in  vs.  7)  that  the  star  had  disappeared  after  its  rising 
till  now.     Probably  all  that  is  meant  is  that  the  star  kept  moving 

n  65 


MATTHEW 


10.  over  where  the  young  child  was.    And  when  they  saw 

11.  the  star,  they  rejoiced  with  exceeding  great  joy.  And 
they  came  into  the  house  and  saw  the  young  child  with 
Mary  his  mother ;  and  they  fell  down  and  worshipped 
him;    and  opening  their  treasures  they  offered  unto 

12.  him  gifts,  gold  and  frankincense  and  myrrh.  And 
being  warned  of  God  in  a  dream  that  they  should  not 
return  to  Herod,  they  departed  into  their  own  country 
another  way. 

4.   The  Flight  into  Egypt  according  to  Prophecy,  2  :  13-15 

13.  Now  when  they  were  departed,  behold,  an  angel  of 
the  Lord  appeareth  to  Joseph  in  a  dream,  saying.  Arise 
and  take  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and  flee  into 

on  before  them.  It  was  evidently  south  of  the  zenith  as  they  go 
toward  Bethlehem.  It  is  not  said  that  the  movement  of  the  star 
had  brought  them  to  Jerusalem.  Was  the  motion  of  the  star 
actual?  Or  was  it  just  an  optical  illusion  true  of  all  stars  as  one 
walks  or  stops?  At  any  rate  the  star  kept  in  front  of  them. 
The  imperfect  tense  impHes  that  it  kept  on  moving  till  it  stood 
(aorist  tense)  over  the  abode  of  the  Child. 

10.  Saw  the  star.  Standing  above  the  house.  Their  journey 
was  at  an  end.  They  knew  where  the  new-born  King  of  the  Jews 
was. 

11.  House.  This  is  no  contradiction  to  the  account  in  Lk. 
2:7.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  mother  and  babe  were 
allowed  to  remain  indefinitely  in  the  stable.  The  young  child 
with  Mary  his  mother.  The  Child  is  the  centre  of  interest,  not 
the  mother.  Joseph  is  not  mentioned.  Worshipped  him.  As 
they  had  said  they  wished  to  do.  They  were  in  a  state  of  fervid 
rapture  at  the  successful  conclusion  of  their  long  search.  Treas- 
ures. They  had  brought,  as  was  proper,  gifts  worthy  of  a  king. 
The  three  kinds  of  gifts  were  appropriate.  They  show  nothing  as 
to  the  number  of  the  magi. 

12.  Warned  of  God  in  a  dream.  But  for  this  divine  guidance 
they  might  have  fallen  into  the  trap  set  by  Herod. 

13.  Appeareth.  Historical  present  and  it  vividly  sets  forth 
the  peril  and  the  haste.  Egypt.  There  was  nowhere  else  to  go 
south  of  Jerusalem  unless  he  went  to  the  region  of  Sinai. 

66 


MATTHEW 


Egypt,  and  be  thou  there  until  I  tell  thee :  for  Herod 

14.  will  seek  the  young  child  to  destroy  him.  And  he 
arose  and  took  the  young  child  and  his  mother  by  night, 

15.  and  departed  into  Egypt;  and  was  there  until  the 
death  of  Herod :  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was 
spoken  by  the  Lord  through  the  prophet,  saying.  Out 
of  Egypt  did  I  call  my  son. 

5.   The  Occasion  of  Lamentation  as  illustrated  in  Prophecy ^ 
2  :  16-18 

16.  Then  Herod,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  mocked  of  the 
wise  men,  was  exceeding  wroth,  and  sent  forth,  and 
slew  all  the  male  children  that  were  in  Bethlehem,  and 
in  all  the  borders  thereof,  from  two  years  old  and  under, 
according  to  the  time  which  he  had  carefully  learned 


14.  By  night.  Because  there  was  need  of  haste  before  Herod 
had  time  to  act. 

15.  Until.  This  event  may  have  occurred  only  a  few  months 
after  the  arrival  in  Egypt.  Jesus  was  in  Egypt  only  as  an  infant  and 
had  no  opportunity  to  be  influenced  by  the  magical  arts  practised 
there.  Celsus  has  needlessly  brought  this  charge  against  Christ. 
That  it  might  be  fulfilled.  This  prophecy  is  quoted  from  Hosea, 
II :  I.  It  is  a  free  translation  from  the  Hebrew.  There  is,  how- 
ever, no  prophecy  here,  but  an  allusion  to  the  historical  fact  that 
God  had  led  the  children  of  Israel  (often  called  God's  son  or  ser- 
vant) out  of  Egypt.  It  is  a  typical  use  of  this  well-known  event, 
a  designed  coincidence  according  to  the  author,  who  sees  striking 
parallels  between  the  history  of  Israel  and  the  life  of  Jesus.  Israel 
was  Jehovah's  first-born  (Ex.  4:  22). 

16.  All.  The  number  would  not  be  very  great.  The  population 
of  Bethlehem  at  present  is  about  four  thousand.  The  male  infants 
at  the  time  of  Herod  would  hardly  go  to  two  score,  probably 
much  fewer.  The  historical  reality  of  the  massacre  cannot  be 
challenged  on  the  ground  that  Josephus  does  not  give  it.  It  was 
really  an  insignificant  item,  from  the  point  of  view  of  a  student 
of  Herod's  career.  Borders.  He  would  take  no  chances.  The 
child  might  be  hid  in  the  country  near  Bethlehem.  He  did  not, 
of  course,  know  of  the  flight  to  Egypt.     Two  years.     He  had 

67 


MATTHEW 


17.  of  the  wise  men.    Then  was  fulfilled  that  which  was 
spoken  by  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  saying, 

18.  A  voice  was  heard  in  Ramah, 
Weeping  and  great  mourning, 
Rachel  weeping  for  her  children  ; 

And  she  would  not  be  comforted,  because  they  are 
not. 

6.   The  Home  in  Nazareth  in  Harmony  with  Prophecy ^ 
2: 19-23 

R  19.       But  when  Herod  was  dead,  behold,  an  angel  of  the 
20.   Lord  appeareth  in  a  dream  to  Joseph  in  Egypt,  saying, 

learned  from  the  magi  the  exact  time  when  they  first  saw  the 
star  (Matt.  2:7).  That  need  not  have  been  fully  two  years  be- 
fore, for  Herod  would  wish  to  allow  a  good  margin.  It  is  not 
therefore  necessary  to  think  of  the  child  Jesus  as  now  two  years 
old.     He  was  probably  at  least  two  months  old. 

17.  Then  was  fulfilled.  We  have  here  a  different  form  of 
statement  from  the  familiar  "  that  it  might  be  fulfilled."  A 
similar  construction  appears  in  27  :  9  in  connection  with  the  death 
of  Judas  Iscariot.  In  both  instances  it  is  a  quotation  from  Jere- 
miah. There  seems  to  be  an  apparent  shrinking  from  saying 
that  either  event  was  a  part  of  the  purpose  of  God.  All  that  the 
present  language  need  mean  is  that  what  was  mentioned  by  the 
prophet  Jeremiah  has  come  true  again  in  the  case  of  Bethlehem. 
The  author  does  not  attribute  any  essential  Messianic  idea  to 
Jeremiah's  words.  The  quotation  is  apparently  made  from  mem- 
ory from  the  LXX  (Jer.  38 :  15,  LXX;   31 :  15  Hebrew). 

18.  Ramah.  There  was  a  Ramah  in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin 
five  miles  north  of  Jerusalem,  another  apparently  near  Bethlehem. 
It  was  at  Ramah,  probably  the  one  near  Gibeah  north  of  Jerusalem, 
that  Nebuchadnezzar  assembled  the  people  before  they  were  car- 
ried into  captivity.  It  was  at  Ramah  (Gen.  35:  16-19;  48:  7) 
that  Jacob  buried  Rachel  on  his  way  to  Ephratah  or  Bethlehem. 
Rachel.  She  was  a  sort  of  mother  for  Israel.  In  a  poetic  way 
Jeremiah  represents  Rachel  as  lamenting  for  Israel  because  of  the 
impending  captivity  in  Babylon.  Matthew  applies  this  poetic 
imagery  to  the  wailing  which  swept  through  Bethlehem  when  the 
male  infants  were  slain  there. 

19.  When  Herod  was  dead.     He  was  seventy  years  old  when 

68 


MATTHEW 


Arise  and  take  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and  go 
into  the  land  of  Israel :  for  they  are  dead  that  sought 

21.  the  young  child's  life.  And  he  arose  and  took  the 
young  child  and  his  mother,  and  came  into  the  land  of 

22.  Israel.  But  when  he  heard  that  Archelaus  was  reign- 
ing over  Judaea  in  the  room  of  his  father  Herod,  he  was 
afraid  to  go  thither ;    and  being  warned  of  God  in  a 

he  died  at  Jericho  in  the  year  of  Rome  750.  He  had  a  loathsome 
disease  and  died  miserably  as  he  had  lived.  He  had  been  king  in 
name  thirty-seven  years  and  actual  king  thirty-four  (Josephus, 
Ant.,  xvii.  8.  i).  Appeareth  in  a  dream  to  Joseph.  According  to 
promise  (vs.   13). 

20.  Land  of  Israel.  He  is  not  here  told  what  part  to  choose  as 
his  home.  But  Joseph  apparently  purposed,  now  that  Herod 
was  dead,  to  return  to  Bethlehem.  Some  think  that  Jerusalem 
was  his  objective  point.  At  any  rate  it  was  a  place  in  Judea. 
They  are  dead.  This  form  of  expression  is  found  in  Ex.  4:  16, 
LXX,  "  For  all  are  dead  that  sought  thy  life."  The  reference  in 
this  general  form  may  be  simply  to  Herod. 

22.  Archelaus  was  reigning  over  Judaea.  When  Joseph  had 
left  Judea,  Herod's  will  was  for  Antipas  to  succeed  him.  At  the 
last  moment  he  changed  his  will  again  (Josephus,  Ant.  xviii.  8-1 1) 
so  that  Archelaus  was  to  rule  over  Judea  and  Samaria  while  Anti- 
pas  was  to  be  Tetrarch  of  Galilee  and  Perea  and  Philip  Tetrarch 
of  Iturea  and  Trachonitis.  This  was  all  news  to  Joseph  when  he 
reached  the  borders  of  Judea.  Archelaus  was  a  much  worse  man 
than  Antipas.  Hence  Joseph  hesitated  to  expose  the  child  to  the 
fury  of  another  man  of  the  temper  of  Herod  the  Great.  Archelaus 
never  became  technically  king,  but  he  was  nominally  so  at  first. 
Because  of  the  opposition  among  the  Jews  to  him,  the  Emperor 
Augustine  made  him  Ethnarch  with  hopes  of  the  higher  title  on 
good  behavior.  But  in  ten  years  (by  a.d.  6.)  he  forfeited  the  po- 
sition given  him  and  was  banished  to  Gaul.  At  that  time  Jesus 
would  be  about  eleven  years  old.  It  is  commonly  supposed  that 
Christ  drew  his  Parable  of  the  Pounds  (Lk.  19:  12  flf.)  from  the 
history  of  Archelaus.  "  Judea  "  in  Matthew,  Mark,  and  John 
always  has  the  narrower  sense  as  distinct  from  Samaria,  Galilee, 
Perea.  In  Luke  and  Acts  the  usage  is  divided  between  this  and 
the  general  sense  for  all  of  Palestine.  Thither.  Into  Judea.  He 
had  apparently  not  gone  far  into  the  borders  of  Judea.  He  would 
proceed  no  farther  towards  Bethlehem,  if  that  was  his  objective 
point.    Warned  of  God  in  a  dream.     As  twice  before  (2  :  13,  19). 

69 


MATTHEW 


23.   dream,  he  withdrew  into  the  parts  of  Galilee,  and  came 
and  dwelt  in  a  city  called  Nazareth :  that  it  might  be 

He  was  already  "  afraid."  He  was  only  too  willing  to  follow  the 
warning  of  the  dream  (no  angel  mentioned  this  time).  In  Naza- 
reth he  would  be  under  the  rule  of  Antipas,  as  he  may  have  ex- 
pected to  be  in  Judea. 

23.  Nazareth.  Matthew  has  not  mentioned  this  town  before 
and  introduces  it  here  as  a  new  matter  without  any  allusion  to  the 
previous  residence  of  Joseph  and  Mary  there.  On  the  other 
hand,  Luke  (2  :  39)  makes  no  reference  to  the  visit  to  Egypt  and 
mentions  only  the  return  to  Nazareth.  Nazareth  itself  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  O.  T.  or  Josephus.  It,  like  Bethlehem,  was  and 
is  a  small  town  which  still  survives.  It  is  near  one  of  the  old 
caravan  routes  from  Egypt,  though  remote  enough  to  be  obscure. 
The  situation  is  beautiful,  on  a  high  slope  with  a  pretty  little  vale. 
Here  Jesus  as  a  boy  would  have  the  advantages  of  both  town  and 
country  life  and  could  cultivate  his  love  of  flowers  and  birds. 
The  people  had  a  poor  reputation  according  to  the  question  of 
Nathanael  (Jn.  i :  46)  even  after  one  discounts  the  natural  jealousy 
of  one  from  Cana,  not  far  away  (Jn.  21:2).  The  rough  spirit  of 
the  town  will  show  itself  toward  Jesus  (Lk.  4:28-30).  If  he 
was  born  providentially  in  Bethlehem,  he  was  providentially 
reared  in  Nazareth.  This  mean  city  of  Galilee  played  a  much 
more  important  part  in  the  earthly  life  of  Jesus  than  did  Bethle- 
hem. Here  he  grew  up  with  his  brothers  and  sisters,  worked  at 
his  trade  of  carpenter  (Mk.  6:3),  faced  the  problems  of  boyhood 
and  young  manhood,  saw  sin  for  the  first  time,  came  to  under- 
stand by  experience  the  struggle  of  man  with  the  forces  of  evil, 
had  his  heart  throb  with  sympathy  for  all  the  nobler  impulses  of 
the  oppressed  and  downtrodden,  knew  what  it  was  to  earn  one's 
bread,  felt  the  joy  of  work,  heard  the  call  of  the  Father  to  meet  his 
mission  in  the  world.  Nazareth  was  "  home  "  to  Jesus  in  a 
sense  not  true  of  Bethlehem,  Capernaum,  or  Jerusalem.  He  here 
increased  in  favor  with  God  and  man  (Lk.  2  :  52)  as  he  began  to 
take  his  part  in  his  own  world  to  which  he  had  come.  That  it 
might  be  fulfilled.  Here  a  divine  purpose  is  alleged  as  the  reason 
that  Jesus  is  led  to  Nazareth  instead  of  to  a  city  in  Judea.  Mat- 
thew says  that  in  the  prophets  it  was  declared  that  the  Messiah 
should  be  called  a  Nazarene.  But  Nazareth  is  not  mentioned  in 
the  prophets.  Hence  a  very  great  difficulty  and  obscurity. 
Some  have  supposed  a  lost  prophecy.  Others  suggest  that  the 
reference  is  to  Isa.  11 :  i,  where  Netzer  (Branch)  is  applied  to  the 
Messiah  in  the  Targum.  Then  again  it  is  urged  that  the  refer- 
ence is  to  Isa.  53.     As  a  citizen  of  Nazareth  he  would  be  despised 

70 


MATTHEW 


fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophets,  that  he 
should  be  called  a  Nazarene. 


and  bear  reproach.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  term  here  used  of 
Jesus  is  Nazorean,  not  Nazarene.  It  is  urged,  as  is  possible,  that 
the  word  "  that  "  should  be  "  because."  It  would  then  read 
"  because  he  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene."  This  is  quite  possible. 
But  the  difficulty  cannot  be  said  to  be  solved. 


71 


II.  Sketch  of  John  the  Baptist,  the  Forerunner  of 
THE  Messiah,  3: 1-12 

1.  The  Forerunner  himself  the  Fulfilment  of  Prophecy ^ 

3 : 1-3 
M     3.        And  in  those  days  cometh  John  the  Baptist,  preach- 

2.  ing  in  the  wilderness  of  Judaea,  saying.  Repent  ye ;  for 

I.  In  those  days.  The  language  points  back  to  the  previous 
chapters  and  argues  against  the  notion  that  they  were  a  late  ad- 
dition. As  is  common  in  many  ancient  writers  there  is  a  wide  gap 
here  between  the  incident  of  the  return  of  Joseph  to  Nazareth 
and  the  appearance  of  John  the  Baptist  as  a  preacher.  The 
writer  means  that  while  Jesus  Hved  in  Nazareth,  John  the  Baptist 
began  his  work.  He  sets  no  more  definite  bounds  to  the  event. 
The  date  is  approximately  set  by  Luke,  who  says  that  Jesus  was 
about  thirty  years  of  age  when  he  entered  upon  his  ministry 
(Lk.  3  :  23).  John  was  probably  thirty  when  he  began  his  pubHc 
work.  He  entered  upon  his  ministry  before  Jesus.  We  know  that 
John  was  born  six  months  before  Jesus  (Lk.  i :  26).  Luke  fixes 
the  time  when  John  began  his  ministry  in  a  general  way  by  the 
names  of  the  rulers  (Lk.  3  :  i  f.).  It  is  known  that  Tiberius  was 
the  colleague  of  Augustus  in  empire,  especially  in  the  provinces. 
So  it  was  probably  about  779  of  the  year  of  Rome  or  a.d.  25  or  26, 
depending  on  the  part  of  the  year  taken  as  the  starting-point.  We 
do  not  know  the  time  of  the  year.  One  would  naturally  think  of 
the  spring  as  suitable,  but  that  is  pure  conjecture.  Cometh.  Vivid 
historical  present.  Mark  (1:4)  has  the  past  tense.  John  the 
Baptist.  The  first  mention  of  him  and  with  his  descriptive  title 
by  which  he  came  to  be  known  because  of  the  new  ordinance  in- 
troduced by  him.  Matthew  has  some  account  of  the  birth  and 
infancy  of  Jesus,  but  he  makes  no  reference  to  the  early  life  of 
John.  Luke  (i :  57-80)  has  not  told  much  apart  from  his  ancestry 
and  wonderful  birth.  The  facts  may  or  may  not  have  been  known 
to  the  writer  of  Matthew.  They  did  not  at  any  rate  concern  his 
plan.  All  that  he  proceeds  to  tell  of  John  is  in  accord  with  the 
few  details  in  Luke.  What  drew  John  there  is  not  made  plain. 
He  may  have  heard  the  Essenes  teach,  for  some  of  them  d\yelt  in 
this  region.     But,  if  so,  they  left  no  permanent  mark  on  his  the- 

72 


MATTHEW 


ology.  John  is  ascetic  in  dress  and  food,  but  shows  no  trace  of 
the  philosophical  vagaries  of  the  Essenes  nor  is  he  an  impractical 
mystic  who  keeps  aloof  from  men.  On  the  other  hand  he  takes 
the  most  vital  interest  in  the  everyday  life  of  all  their  private  and 
social  problems.  He  shows  far  more  the  influence  of  the  Old 
Testament  prophets  and  in  particular  that  of  his  prototype, 
Elijah.  He  had  the  school  of  nature  all  about  him  in  the  wilder- 
ness. Preaching.  This  is  the  main  business.  He  comes  as  a 
preacher.  He  won  the  "  nickname  "  of  the  Baptist  or  the  bap- 
tizer  from  his  ordinance,  but  the  ordinance  was  not  the  chief 
matter  with  John.  That  was  only  important  in  relation  to  his 
message  and  the  response  to  it.  The  novelty  of  the  ordinance 
(Jn.  1 :  25)  caused  the  attachment  of  this  title  to  him.  But  John 
thought  of  himself  as  "  the  voice  of  one  crying  "  (Matt.  3  :  3). 
In  a  word  he  was  a  prophet,  as  Jesus  said  (Matt.  11:9).  He  is  the 
true  connecting  link  between  the  old  age  and  the  new  (11 :  14). 
The  etymology  of  the  Greek  word  for  '*  preaching  "  suits  John 
exactly.  He  was  a  "  herald  "  with  a  proclamation.  The  wilder- 
ness of  Judaea.  Mark  (1:4)  and  Luke  (3  :  2)  merely  call  it  "  the 
wilderness."  John  did  not  confine  his  ministry  to  that  part  of 
the  wilderness  belonging  to  Judea.  The  comparatively  barren 
district  between  the  mountains  and  the  Jordan  (and  Dead  Sea) 
extended  up  into  Samaria.  In  a  general  way  the  name  is  used  for 
the  Jordan  valley  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  and  including 
the  river.  So  John  "  baptized  in  the  wilderness  "  (Mk.  i :  4) 
when  he  baptized  in  the  river  Jordan.  About  a  third  of  the  terri- 
tory of  Judea  was  wilderness.  But  the  term  does  not  mean  ab- 
solute desert.  It  was  more  like  deserted  pasture  land  with  vary- 
ing degrees  of  rock,  wady,  and  grass.  John  moved  about  in  this 
large  region.  It  was  sparsely  inhabited,  like  certain  mountain 
districts,  but  the  fame  of  his  preaching  brought  crowds 
(Matt.  3:5).     Jesus  preached  in  the  cities  and  villages. 

2.  Repent.  It  is  a  pity  that  John's  watchword  has  met  with 
such  poor  fortune  in  translation.  The  Greek  word  metanoeo 
means  to  change  the  mind  (heart)  and  so  the  life.  John  made  a 
call  upon  those  who  heard  him  to  make  a  radical  and  funda- 
mental turn  in  their  whole  spiritual  attitude.  It  was  a  spiritual 
revolution  that  he  demanded.  The  English  word  "  repent " 
comes  from  a  late  Latin  word  and  means  to  be  sorry.  John  did 
not  exhort  the  people  to  be  sorry.  That  was  a  natural  accom- 
paniment of  the  change  demanded  by  him,  but  the  sorrow  could 
exist  and  the  change  not  be  made.  Paul  distinguishes  between 
sorrow  and  change  (called  "  repentance  ")  in  2  Cor.  7 :  9  f .  It 
is  a  still  worse  mistranslation  of  the  word  metanoeo  when  it  is 
made  to  mean  "  do  penance."  The  Greek  uses  another  word  for 
mere  sorrow  or  even  remorse,  as  when  Judas  "  repented  himself " 


73 


MATTHEW 


3.   the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.     For  this  is  he  that 
was  spoken  of  by  Isaiah  the  prophet,  saying, 
The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 
Make  ye  ready  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
Make  his  paths  straight. 

(Matt.  27:3).  That  word  is  metamelomai.  John's  call  to 
"  change  "  was  practically  the  same  as  the  "  turn  "  demanded 
by  the  Old  Testament  prophets  (Joel  2:12;  Isa.  55:7;  etc). 
This  turning  (or  repentance)  was  felt  to  be  necessary  in  view  of 
the  approach  of  the  Messiah,  who,  according  to  the  current  mo- 
tives of  eschatology,  would  judge  the  world.  John  probably  felt 
this  necessity  for  the  nation  as  a  whole,  but  the  burden  of  his 
message  is  to  the  individual  conscience  and  life.  Jesus  will  him- 
self take  up  this  same  call  of  John  (Matt.  4:  17)  and  Peter  will 
urge  it  upon  his  hearers  on  tiie  great  day  of  Pentecost  (Acts  2  :  38). 
Jesus  did  indeed  use  "  believe  "  far  more  frequently.  With  him 
"  trust  "  summed  up  better  the  demand  made  upon  man.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven.  Just  this  expression  occurs  only  in  Matthew 
(32  times).  Mark  has  Kingdom  of  God  fourteen  times  and  Luke 
thirty-two  times.  Matthew  also  uses  Kingdom  of  God  several 
times  (12:  28;  19:  24;  21:31,  43)  and  it  is  really  involved  in 
the  "  his  "  in  Matt.  6  :  33  ;  13  :  41 ;  16  :  28,  and  in  "  thy  King- 
dom "  (6:  10;  20:  21,),  "  the  kingdom  of  my  Father  "  (26:  29), 
"the  kingdom  of  their  Father"  (13:43).  There  occurs  also 
merdy  "the  kingdom"  (4:23;  8:12;  9:35;  13:19).  The 
most  probable  explanation  is  that  Jesus  used  both  "  kingdom  of 
God  "  and  "  kingdom  of  heaven."  For  some  reason,  possibly 
deference  to  the  Jewish  habit  of  avoiding  the  name  of  the  deity, 
Matthew  preferred  in  the  main  to  use  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven  " 
without  meaning  to  draw  any  sharp  distinction  between  the  two 
expressions.  Heaven  is  the  house  of  God.  The  word  "  king- 
dom "  is  the  favorite  one  with  Jesus  in  the  Synoptic  teaching  for 
the  new  order  of  things,  the  rule  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  men, 
which  is  the  hope  and  aim  of  his  ministry.  In  the  Epistles  the 
word  "  gospel  "  is  more  common,  though  "  kingdom  "  survives 
beside  it.  In  the  Apocalypse,  however,  "  kingdom  "  is  again 
more  frequent.  The  word  "  kingdom  "  lay  ready  to  hand  in 
an  imperialistic  age  and  was  well  adapted  to  the  monarchical  his- 
tory of  the  Jews  and  the  theocratic  idea  of  God's  sovereign  rule. 
The  kingdom  implies  the  king.  God  is  the  King.  Those  who 
accept  his  rule  are  his  subjects.  God  possesses  the  kingly  author- 
ity and  exercises  kingly  rule  over  and  in  the  hearts  of  his  subjects. 
The  reign  cf  God  is  thus  the  most  frequent  content  of  the  term 

74 


MATTHEW 


in  the  New  Testament.  It  is  not  a  political  kingdom  like  that  of 
Caesar.  Hence  it  is  not  of  this  world  in  nature  or  spirit  (Jn. 
i8 :  36).  It  is  not  an  outward  organization,  but  rather  an  organ- 
ism. It  is  life  eternal  (the  favorite  expression  in  the  Gospel  of 
John).  It  is  not  composed  of  the  membership  of  local  churches. 
Its  membership  does  not  correspond  to  that  of  any  or  of  all  the 
denominations.  It  is  a  kingdom  of  reality,  not  of  profession.  Its 
only  parallel  to  the  word  "  church  "  is  the  general  sense  of  that 
term  for  the  redeemed.  Sometimes  more  than  one  word  is  needed 
in  English  to  bring  out  the  full  context.  In  the  N.  T.  it  does  not 
occur  in  the  sense  of  territory.  In  many  passages  in  the  Gospels 
the  term  has  an  apocalyptic  atmosphere  and  refers  to  the  future 
consummation  with  possible  cataclysmic  aspects.  This  usage 
is  undoubted,  but  it  is  a  mistaken  narrowing  of  the  word  to  en- 
deavor to  bring  all  the  uses  under  this  category.  The  spiritual 
experiences  in  Matt.  5  :  3-10,  the  ethical  demand  in  Matt.  6 :  33, 
the  inwardness  and  present  spiritual  reality  (Matt.  15:  10-20; 
Lk.  17:  20  f . ;  Rom.  14:  16),  these  and  other  passages  like  them 
refute  such  a  one-sided  apprehension  of  the  meaning  of  the  word. 
The  kingdom  is  looked  at  now  as  present,  now  as  future ;  now  as 
beginning,  now  as  consummated ;  now  as  in  this  world,  now  as 
in  the  next;  now  as  individual,  now  as  social.  But  it  is  always 
spiritual,  real,  eternal,  the  greatest  good  possible  to  men.  While 
it  can  hardly  have  been  that  John  used  the  term  in  the  full  Chris- 
tian sense,  the  fact  that  he  emphasized  confession  and  remission 
of  sins  (Matt.  3:6;  Mk.  1:4),  the  importance  of  right  living 
(Matt.  3:8),  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (3  :  11),  shows  that  he 
had  a  real  grip  upon  the  spiritual  realities  and  was  not  a  mere  wild 
enthusiast  or  a  mere  preacher  of  current  eschatological  ideas. 
Is  at  hand.  The  perfect  tense  is  to  be  noted  here :  "  has  drawn 
nigh."  This  cannot  mean  that  he  considered  the  kingdom  yet  a 
great  way  off.  The  whole  point  of  his  distinctive  message  was 
that  the  messianic  era  so  long  foretold  by  the  prophets  has  now 
come.  We  are  at  the  very  gates,  he  means  to  say.  In  the  near 
background  is  the  Messiah  himself  who  will  appear  any  day,  who 
may  be  indeed  already  in  seclusion.  It  was  a  present  duty  that 
John  urged  because  of  the  great  event  now  at  hand.  The  element 
of  judgment  is  present  in  John's  idea  of  the  kingdom  (as  in  that 
of  Jesus),  but  only  for  those  who  refused  to  "  turn  "  or  "change." 
For  those  who  did  "  repent  "  and  obtain  forgiveness  of  sins,  the 
kingdom  came  as  a  present  joy  and  blessing.  The  cloud  hung 
heavy  with  woe  for  the  great  majority  who  were  only  outwardly 
moved  by  the  message.  The  air  was  electric  with  expectancy, 
hope,  and  fear. 

3.   This  is  he.     Most  likely  the  identification  of  the  writer, 
not  of  John  himself.     He  did  use  those  words  about  himself  later 


75 


MATTHEW 


2.  Description  of  the  Baptist y  3 : 4 

M  4.  Now  John  himself  had  his  raiment  of  camel's  hair, 
and  a  leathern  girdle  about  his  loins;  and  his  food 
was  locusts  and  wild  honey. 

3.   Specimen  of  his  Work  and  Preaching,  3:5-12 

M     5.       Then  went  out  unto  him  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judaea, 
Q     6.   and  all  the  region  round  about  Jordan ;  and  they  were 

(Jn.  1:23).  Isaiah  the  prophet.  From  Isa.  40:3.  It  is  like 
the  LXX  in  the  main,  Mark  has  a  quotation  also  from  Malachi, 
which  Matthew  quotes  in  11 :  10.  The  immediate  reference  is  to 
Jehovah's  leading  of  the  people  out  from  Babylonian  captivity. 
The  writer  sees  a  fulfilment  of  that  prophecy  in  the  work  of  John. 
Voice.  This  is  the  chief  function  of  every  preacher  as  a  herald. 
John,  like  Jesus,  wrote  nothing,  but  his  voice  is  still  heard.  The 
herald  went  before  the  King  and  had  the  highway  made  ready 
for  his  coming.  In  this  figurative  way  John's  work  as  the  Fore- 
runner of  the  King  Messiah  is  described. 

4.  Himself.  A  personal  touch,  the  man  apart  from  his  mis- 
sion and  message.  Mark  (1:6),  not  Luke,  gives  this  brief  de- 
scription. One  could  wish  for  more.  Raiment.  Not  camel's 
skin,  but  a  coarse  cloth  made  of  camel's  hair.  The  girdle  was  a 
common  article  of  dress  with  the  loose  robes.  His  dress  is  like 
that  of  Elijah  (2  Kgs.  i :  8)  and  may  have  been  conscious  imitation. 
Food.  The  locusts  were  considered  good  food,  as  indeed  grass- 
hoppers are  by  many.  The  bees  flourished  in  the  rocks.  The 
diet  was  limited  in  variety,  but  excellent  in  nourishing  quality. 
He  was  austere,  but  not  a  weakling.  Like  Elijah  of  old  he  was  a 
man  of  rugged  force  and  fire.  If  John  disclaimed  being  Elijah 
himself  (Jn.  i :  25),  Jesus  said  that  he  was  Elijah  in  spirit,  the 
one  that  was  to  come  (Matt.  17 :  11  f.). 

5.  Jerusalem.  Mark  (i :  5)  says  "  all  they  of  Jerusalem," 
people  and  leaders,  a  tribute  to  the  power  of  the  new  prophet  in 
the  wilderness.  Not  since  the  time  of  Malachi  (460-430  B.C.) 
had  a  real  prophet  of  God  appeared.  Round  about  Jordan. 
From  both  sides  of  the  river,  Perea  as  well  as  Judea  and  Samaria. 

6.  Were  baptized  of  him.  It  is  the  tense  of  continued  or 
repeated  action.  It  is  not,  of  course,  meant  that  all  who  came 
were  baptized.  Those  who  fulfilled  the  conditions  of  his  baptism 
were  baptized.     Matthew  does  not  use  the  expression  "  baptism 

76 


MATTHEW 


baptized  of  him  in  the  river  Jordan,  confessing  their 
7.   sins.     But  when  he  saw  many  of  the  Pharisees  and 

of  repentance  for  remission  of  sins,"  found  in  Mark  (i :  4)  and 
Luke  (3  :  3).  But  Matthew  brought  out  sharply  the  element  of 
repentance  (change  of  heart)  in  the  preaching  of  John  (3  :  2). 
He  also  mentions  the  proof  of  repentance  called  for  by  John 
(3:8),  the  confession  of  sin  in  connection  with  the  baptism  (3:6), 
and  connects  repentance  with  baptism  in  3  :  11 :  "I  indeed  bap- 
tize you  with  water  unto  repentance."  Clearly  then,  according 
to  Matthew,  the  baptism  of  John  presupposed  repentance  and 
confession  and  symbolized  the  change  from  the  old  to  the  new  life. 
It  was  a  public  pledge  of  fealty  to  the  life  of  the  kingdom,  which 
was  to  be  proved  by  constant  upright  living.  The  baptism  itself 
was  not  the  means  in  securing  the  new  life,  but  a  proclamation 
that  it  had  been  realized.  The  river  Jordan.  Since  the  act  was 
immersion,  he  found  the  river  Jordan  ready  to  his  purpose.  The 
various  fords  and  eddies  in  the  river  were  well  adapted  to  the  or- 
dinance. He  will  later  use  also  the  waters  at  Enon  near  to  Salim 
(Jn.  3  :  23).  He  probably  had  more  than  one  place  in  the  river 
for  the  ordinance,  so  that  the  pilgrims  who  flock  annually  to  the 
reputed  spot  really  do  not  know  the  place.  The  Jews  themselves 
had  frequent  ablutions,  daily  baths  before  meals  if  ceremonial 
cleanness  required  it  (Lk.  11:38).  But  the  peculiarity  about 
John's  baptism  (Jn.  3:25;  Heb.  6 :  2)  consisted  in  the  fact  that 
it  was  performed  only  once.  It  was  thus  an  initiatory  rite,  an 
ordinance,  not  a  mere  ceremonial  ablution.  Later  the  Jews  them- 
selves are  known  to  have  had  proselyte  baptism,  but  it  is  not  clear 
that  they  had  begun  that  practice  at  this  time.  The  people 
treated  the  ordinance  as  something  new  (Jn.  i :  25),  as  the  name 
"  Baptist  "  shows.  Jesus  clearly  meant  to  say  that  the  baptism 
of  John  had  the  sanction  of  God  when  he  gave  his  enemies  the 
dilemma  about  its  origin  (Matt.  21 :  25).  John  himself  seems  not 
to  have  been  baptized.  Confessing  titieir  sins.  The  baptism  it- 
self was  a  public  confession  of  sin,  but  it  is  probably  meant  that 
John  required  oral  confession  before  the  act  was  performed. 

7.  Pharisees.  They  were  the  popular  religious  leaders  of  the 
day.  Their  origin  is  obscure.  The  first  clear  allusion  to  them  is 
in  the  time  of  John  Hyrcanus  I  (b.c.  135-106),  who  left  the 
Pharisees  for  the  Sadducees,  their  bitter  rivals.  They  were  a  po- 
litical party  as  well  as  a  religious  sect  and  contended  with  the 
Sadducees  for  power  through  the  years.  This  strife  had  much  to 
do  with  the  downfall  of  the  Maccabean  power  and  the  coming  of 
the  Roman  rule  under  Pompey  in  B.C.  63.  The  Pharisees  became 
the  heirs  of  the  Pious  or  Patriotic  Party,  led  by  Mattathias  and 

77 


MATTHEW 


Sadducees  coming  to  ^  his  baptism,  he  said  unto  them, 
Ye  offspring  of  vipers,  who  warned  you  to  flee  from 

8.  the   wrath   to   come?    Bring   forth   therefore   fruit 

9.  worthy  of  repentance:  and  think  not  to  say  within 
yourselves.  We  have  Abraham  to  our  father :  for  I  say 
unto  you,  that  God  is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up 

10.   children  imto  Abraham.    And  even  now  ^  is  the  axe 

1  Or,  jor  baptism  —  Am.  Comm.  2  the  axe  lieth  at  —  Am.  Comm. 

then  by  Judas  Maccabeus  at  the  time  of  the  revolt  against  Anti- 
ochus  Epiphanes.  They  opposed  Hellenism  in  all  its  forms  and 
championed  the  oral  tradition  as  binding  on  all  Jews.  They 
cherished  the  traditions  as  on  -a  par  with  and  even  superior  to  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  They  held  much  that  is  true,  but  laid  chief 
emphasis  on  the  external  and  the  ceremonial  in  religion.  They 
formed  the  reactionary  element  in  Jewish  life  and  naturally  op- 
posed all  innovations.  They  had  opposed  Herod  the  Great  and 
now  resented  the  Roman  rule.  For  this  and  many  other  reasons 
they  enjoyed  popular  favor  and  their  theology  constituted  the 
current  orthodoxy  of  the  time  when  John  began  to  preach.  Sad- 
ducees. They  came  into  prominence  at  the  same  time  with  the 
Pharisees  and  took  the  opposite  side  on  most  disputed  matters. 
They  rejected  the  oral  traditions,  denied  the  resurrection  and  the 
existence  of  spirits,  and  the  doctrine  of  election,  and  welcomed  the 
inroads  of  Hellenism.  They  were  few  in  number,  but  influential, 
and  at  the  present  time  controlled  the  high  priesthood.  The  chief 
priests  were  Sadducees  while  the  scribes  were  generally  Pharisees. 
The  Sadducees  were  ecclesiastics  in  power  while  the  Pharisees  were 
more  theological.  Both  parties  were  strong  in  the  Sanhedrin. 
John  is  astonished  at  seeing  both  of  these  parties  in  the  wilderness. 
His  tone  is  hostile  toward  them  because  he  sees  clearly  that  they 
have  only  come  to  cavil.  The  dominant  spiritual  and  ethical 
note  in  John's  preaching  was  resented  by  both  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees.  Luke  (3 :  7)  does  not  here  distinguish  the  Phari- 
sees and  the  Sadducees  from  the  multitudes,  though  he  mentions 
pubhcans  and  soldiers  (3:  12-14)  whom  Matthew  does  not  in- 
clude. Coming  to  his  baptism.  Not  to  be  baptized  themselves 
(Lk.  7  :  30),  but  to  look  into  the  whole  matter.  The  people  were 
even  beginning  to  consider  if  John  were  not  himself  the  Messiah 
(Lk.  3  :  15),  and  later  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  will  send  a 
formal  embassy  to  John  to  learn  his  claims  about  himself  (Jn. 
1 :  19,  25).      They  here  followed  the  crowd  to  the  wilderness. 

78 


MATTHEW 


laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees;   every  tree  therefore 
that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and 

Offspring  of  vipers.  John  resented  their  presence.  They  were 
not  sincere  inquirers,  but  had  come  for  mischief.  The  brood  of 
vipers  in  the  rocks  in  the  wilderness  made  the  image  familiar  to 
John.  But  Jesus  also  uses  it  of  the  Pharisees  (Matt.  12:34). 
Here  at  once  then  the  rehgious  teachers  of  Judea  are  arrayed 
against  the  Forerunner  of  the  Messiah  as  they  will  be  against  the 
Messiah  himself.  This  tone  will  reappear  throughout  the  Gospel. 
The  conception  of  the  kingdom  presented  by  John  is  not  accept- 
able to  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  They  wish  a  political  Mes- 
siah. They  expect  many  eschatological  features  in  connection 
with  the  messianic  kingdom,  but  the  heart  of  their  hope  is  na- 
tional. The  heart  of  John's  message  is  spiritual  and  moral. 
The  wrath  to  come.  For  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  John  has 
only  a  message  of  woe.  Judgment  is  the  note  about  the  king- 
dom that  he  strikes  for  them.  If  one  will  compare  Christ's 
denunciation  of  the  Pharisees  in  Matt.  23,  after  their  long  and  bit- 
ter persecution  of  him,  he  will  better  understand  John's  point  of 
view  here.  Jesus  sees  the  destruction  of  the  temple  and  city  as 
part  of  their  doom. 

8.  Worthy  of  repentance.  He  means  in  proof  of  repentance. 
Some  of  the  Pharisees  were  converted  (instance  Nicodemus)  dur- 
ing the  ministry  of  Jesus.  But  the  most  of  them  considered  them- 
selves "  righteous,"  and  Jesus  turned  to  "  sinners,"  who  felt  their 
need  of  him.  Christ  called  the  Pharisees  "  hypocrites  "  and 
John  implied  it  here.  Character,  not  profession,  is  the  final  test 
of  the  spiritual  life,  as  is  taught  by  John  the  Baptist,  by  Jesus, 
by  James,  Peter,  Paul,  and  the  author  of  Hebrews.  It  is  not  cer- 
tain that  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  had  requested  baptism  of 
John.     If  they  did,  it  was  in  mockery. 

9.  Think  not  to  say.  Luke  (3  :  8)  has  "  begin  not  to  say." 
Abraham.  The  penetration  of  John  is  well  shown  here.  If  he  did 
live  in  the  wilderness,  he  knew  Jewish  human  nature  and  the 
religious  pride  of  the  leaders.  Paul  will  expose  at  length  this 
fallacy  of  Jewish  conceit  (Rom.  2  :  17-29).  The  keynote  of  Paul's 
teaching  about  the  Jew  and  Gentile  will  be  the  spiritual  Israel 
as  the  true  descendant  of  Abraham.  Already  John  grasps  this 
idea.  To  the  teachers  of  the  time  he  seems  an  arrant  revolution- 
ist striking  at  the  foundations  of  the  faith. 

10.  Even  now.  A  vivid  touch  of  realism  that  makes  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees  wince.  The  language  is  figurative,  but 
a  few  years  later  Jesus  will  say  to  these  same  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
ducees :    "  Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  shall 

79 


MATTHEW 


11.  cast  into  the  fire.  I  indeed  baptize  you  ^  with  water 
unto  repentance  :  but  he  that  cometh  after  me  is 
mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear; 
he  shall  baptize  you  ^  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 

12.  fire :  whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  throughly 
cleanse  his  threshing-floor;  and  he  will  gather  his 
wheat  into  the  garner,  but  the  chaff  he  will  burn  up 
with  unquenchable  fire. 

1  Or,  in 

be  taken  away  from  you,  and  shall  be  given  to  a  nation  bringing 
forth  the  fruits  thereof  "  (Matt.  21 :  43).     John  was  right. 

11.  Unto  repentance.  In  -itself  this  language  in  the  Greek 
could  mean  with  a  view  to  gaining  repentance.  But  this  in- 
terpretation is  by  no  means  necessary  (cf.  Matt.  10:41,  where 
this  same  preposition  eis  is  translated  in,  and  12  :  41,  where  it  is 
translated  at).  In  view  of  the  phrase  "  baptism  of  repentance  " 
in  Mark  and  Luke,  which  means  a  baptism  characterized  by  re- 
pentance, the  proper  interpretation  here  is  probably  "  I  indeed 
baptize  on  the  basis  of  repentance."  The  testimony  of  Josephus 
is  pertinent.  He  says  expressly  that  John  baptized  "  not  for  the 
cancelling  of  certain  sins,  but  for  the  purification  of  the  body, 
provided  that  the  soul  had  been  thoroughly  cleansed  beforehand 
by  righteousness  "  {Ant.  xviii.  5.  2).  Mightier  than  I.  This 
same  witness  of  the  superiority  of  Jesus  John  will  give  later  to  the 
embassy  from  the  Sanhedrin  (Jn.  i :  26).  Cf.  also  Jn.  i :  28  f. 
John  clearly  understood  his  own  relation  to  the  Messiah  and  he 
was  absolutely  free  from  jealousy.  Holy  Ghost.  With  John  the 
water  baptism  was  the  symbol  of  the  spiritual  life.  Fire.  It  is 
probable,  though  not  certain,  that  John  here  returns  to  the  idea 
of  judgment.  Cf.  "fire  "  in  verses  10  and  12.  It  seems  natural 
to  take  it  in  the  same  sense  in  verse  11.  If  so,  the  "  you  "  must 
be  understood  of  others  besides  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  (cf. 
"  multitude  "  in  Lk.  3:7,  10;  cf.  the  wheat  and  the  chaff  in  vs. 
12).  Some  will  receive  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  others  of 
fire.  But  some  scholars  construe  both  Spirit  and  fire  as  judg- 
ment ;  others  interpret  "  fire  "  in  verse  11  also  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
(cf.  Day  of  Pentecost). 

12.  Unquenchable  fire.  Another  figure  of  judgment.  The 
Kingdom  will  mean  separation  in  the  end.  It  is  an  image  of  eter- 
nal punishment.  Cf.  "  the  furnace  of  fire  "  in  Christ's  Parable 
of  the  Tares  (Matt.  13  :  40). 

80 


III.  The  Beginning  of  the  Messianic  Work  of  Jesus, 
3:13-4:11 

I.   Baptism  of  Jesus  by  the  Baptist ^  3 :  13-17 

13.  Then  cometh  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  the  Jordan  unto 

14.  John,  to  be  baptized  of  him.  But  John  would  have 
hindered  him,  saying,  I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of 

15.  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me?  But  Jesus  answering 
said  unto  him,  Suffer  it  now :  for  thus  it  becometh  us 
to  fulfil  all  righteousness.    Then  he  suffereth  him. 


13.  From  Galilee.  Still  the  home  of  Jesus.  The  fame  of 
John  had  reached  Galilee,  and  others  had  already  come.  To  be 
baptized  of  him.  Jesus  came  purposely  to  receive  John's  baptism, 
in  striking  contrast  to  the  attitude  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
just  described. 

14.  Would  have  hindered  him.  Better,  tried  to  hinder  him. 
I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of  thee.  John  himself  says  that  he 
did  not  know  the  Messiah  personally,  but  only  that  he  was  to  be 
manifested  soon  (Jn.  1:31).  This  manifestation  was  one  pur- 
pose of  John's  baptism.  He  had  a  sign  also  by  which  he  was  to 
know  the  Messiah  from  all  others  who  came,  the  descent  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  as  a  dove  on  him  (Jn.  i :  32  f.).  But  here  John,  before 
that  sign,  has  an  instinctive  impression  from  the  looks,  conversa- 
tion, and  conduct  of  Jesus  that  he  is  the  Messiah.  Did  he  crave 
only  water  baptism  of  Jesus  or  both  that  and  the  Spirit  baptism 
(Matt.  3:  11;  Jn.  1:33)?  He  had  not  himself  been  baptized, 
but  now  suddenly  feels  the  need  of  it  as  a  confession  of  his 
own  sins  in  the  presence  of  Jesus,  a  tribute  to  the  character  of 
Christ.  It  is  not  necessary  to  attribute  a  full  theological  system 
to  John  at  this  juncture. 

15.  Suffer  it  now.  Jesus  admits  the  truth  of  what  John  says 
as  to  their  mutual  relation.  But  he  does  not  baptize  John.  On 
the  contrary  he  insists  on  receiving  baptism  himself.  Us.  Both 
John  and  Jesus.  It  is  proper  in  John  to  baptize  and  for  Jesus  to 
receive  it  from  John.     Fulfil  all  righteousness.     As  a  good  man 

G  81 


MATTHEW 


M  1 6.  And  Jesus,  when  he  was  baptized,  went  up  straightway 
from  the  water :  and  lo,  the  heavens  were  opened  unto 
him,  and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending  as  a  dove, 
17.  and  coming  upon  him;  and  lo,  a  voice  out  of  the 
heavens,  saying.  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I 
am  well  pleased. 


Jesus  should  do  this  righteous  act  commanded  of  God  through 
John.  It  was  true  that  he  had  no  sins  to  confess,  as  John  had  in- 
stinctively realized,  nor  did  Jesus  confess  any.  Baptism  in  the 
case  of  Jesus  lacked  therefore  its  full  symbolic  significance.  But 
not  to  be  baptized  would  be  to  put  one  in  the  position  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  Sadducees,  who  rejected  John's  baptism.  As  the  Mes- 
siah it  was  appropriate  for  Jesus  to  give  this  sanction  to  the  work 
of  his  Forerunner  and  Herald.  He  would  thus  reveal  himself  to 
John  and  a  real  connecting  link  would  be  formed  with  him. 
It  is  the  first  act  in  the  entrance  of  the  Messiah  upon  his 
ministry.  It  was  eminently  proper  that  the  Herald  of  the 
Messiah  should  baptize  and  identify  the  Messiah  (Jn.  i :  29,  34, 
36:  10:  40-42).  It  was  a  joy  to  John  and  a  formal  recognition 
of  the  divine  origin  of  John's  mission  and  baptism  (Matt. 
21 :  24  ff.). 

16.  From  the  water.  Mk.  (i :  10)  "  out  of  the  water."  The 
heavens  were  opened.  A  supernatural  manifestation  of  the 
Father's  approval  of  the  Son  as  he  enters  formally  upon  his  public 
ministry.  He  saw.  Jesus  saw.  John  saw  also  (Jn.  1:32). 
As  a  dove.  As  a  dove  descends,  and  probably  also  in  the  bodily 
form  that  looked  like  a  dove.  Cf.  Gen.  8 :  9,  10,  where  the  dove 
is  the  messenger  of  hope.  It  is  not  to  be  inferred  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  had  not  been  with  Jesus  since  his  birth.  But  now  as  he 
enters  upon  his  public  work  as  Messiah,  the  Holy  Spirit  endows 
him,  anoints  him  as  Messiah,  specially  for  that  mission  by  his 
abiding  presence. 

17.  A  voice  out  of  the  heavens.  Audible  to  Jesus  and  prob- 
ably to  John  also.  Here  then  at  the  baptism  of  Jesus  the  three 
Persons  of  the  Trinity  come  into  notice.  The  Father  gives  audi- 
ble approval  to  the  Son  in  his  work  as  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  to 
help  him.  This  is  my  beloved  son.  As  if  said  to  John ;  Mark 
(i :  11)  and  Luke  (3:  22)  have  "thou  art,"  as  if  addressed  to 
Jesus.  The  Sonship  is  of  a  special  nature,  not  the  ordinary 
spiritual  fellowship  with  the  father ;  i.e.  as  Messiah.  It  is  seen 
in  his  attitude  towards  John.  Jesus  as  Messiah  is  here  indorsed 
by  the  Father,  and  as  it  were  to  the  world. 

82 


MATTHEW 


2.   The  Conflict  with  Satan  over  the  Mission  of  the  Messiah 
4: i-ii 

4.       Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilder- 

2.  ness  to  be  tempted  of  the  devil.    And  when  he  had 
fasted  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  he  afterward  hun- 

3.  gered.     And  the  tempter  came  and  said  imto  him, 

1.  Then.  Shortly  after  the  baptism  and  because  of  the  events 
at  that  time.  Reaction  is  a  law  of  nature.  The  account  of  the 
temptation  of  Jesus  comes  ultimately  from  Jesus  himself.  He 
told  the  disciples  for  their  encouragement.  The  whole  wonder- 
ful account  shows  Jesus  as  fully  conscious  of  his  Messiahship  at 
the  very  beginning  of  his  ministry  (cf.  Jn.  4:  25).  Of  the  Spirit. 
He  has  the  help  of  the  Spirit  in  this  crisis.  Mark  (2:  12)  uses 
the  strong  word  "  driveth."  It  was  not  the  purpose  of  God  to 
spare  the  Son  from  battle  with  the  devil.  The  wilderness.  The 
precise  spot  is  not  known.  .  The  mount  called  Quarantania  from 
the  forty  days  is  purely  conjectural.  The  scene  is  shifted  once  to 
Jerusalem,  but  that  may  be  mental  as  well  as  the  visit  to  the  high 
mountain.  Tempted.  The  word  in  the  Greek  means  "  tried  " 
like  the  old  English  "  tempt  "  (at-tempt).  But  the  evil  sense  is 
common  as  here.  It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  Jesus  as  the 
Son  of  God  could  be  tempted.  But  it  is  just  as  difficult  to  see 
how  as  really  human  he  could  escape  temptation.  Clearly  the 
purpose  of  God  in  this  and  all  the  temptations  of  Christ  was  to 
fit  Jesus  to  be  a  sympathizing  Saviour  by  reason  of  actual  ex- 
perience (Heb.  2:  10,  18;  4:  15;  5:  7-9).  The  reality  of  temp- 
tation does  not  imply  sin  in  the  nature  of  Jesus.  He  felt  the 
temptation  all  the  more  because  he  resisted  to  the  uttermost. 
He  was  a  real  man,  though  free  from  sin.  The  devil.  The  origin 
of  evil  is  not  made  easier,  but  more  difficult,  by  the  denial  of 
spirits  of  evil.  Certainly  Jesus  believed  in  the  reality  of  the  devil. 
Otherwise  this  whole  narrative  is  idle. 

2.  Forty  days.  It  is  not  an  impossible  performance  and  has 
been  done  in  modern  times.  The  fasting  was  probably  absolute. 
Luke  (4 :  2)  rather  implies  that  the  tempting  went  on  all  during 
the  forty  days.  Mark  (i :  13)  adds  the  presence  of  "  wild  beasts." 
But  at  the  end  of  the  forty  days  the  basis  of  physical  resistance 
would  be  very  low.  The  spirit  of  Jesus  would  feel  the  physical 
depression. 

3.  Came.  Did  he  come  in  bodily  shape?  That  is  possible 
and  the  natural  meaning  of  the  words.     But  it  is  not  the  necessary 

83 


MATTHEW 


If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  command  that  these  stones 

4.  become  bread.  But  he  answered  and  said,  It  is 
written,  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by 
every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God. 

5.  Then  the  devil  taketh  him  into  the  holy  city ;  and  he 

6.  set  him  on  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  and  saith  unto 
him.  If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  cast  thyself  down: 
for  it  is  written. 

He  shall  give  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee : 
And  on  their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee  up, 
Lest  haply  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone. 


meaning.  The  devil  may  have  made  his  suggestions  to  the  mind 
of  Jesus.  If  thou  art  the  son  of  God.  An  evident  allusion  to  the 
voice  of  approval  at  the  baptism.  The  form  of  the  condition  as- 
sumes the  reahty  of  sonship  of  Jesus,  but  there  lurks  in  the  con- 
dition a  subtle  doubt.  These  stones.  They  looked  Hke  loaves 
of  bread  and  thus  only  mocked  the  hunger  of  Jesus.  Jesus  had 
not  as  yet  wrought  any  miracles.  He  was  challenged  thus  to  a 
trial  of  his  power  as  Son  of  God  in  proof  of  what  God  has  said. 
The  appeal  was  made  to  his  bodily  appetite  to  work  a  miracle 
for  himself  as  God  had  done  for  the  children  of  Israel  in  giving 
them  manna.  The  distrust  of  God  in  this  attempt  at  proof  was 
concealed. 

4.  It  is  written.  Jesus  uses  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  against 
the  devil.  He  quotes  Deut.  8 :  3  (LXX)  from  the  passage  which 
alludes  to  the  manna.  Alone.  Bread  was  good,  but  not  at  the 
cost  of  distrust  of  the  Father.  The  Word  of  God  was  bread 
also. 

5.  Taketh  him.  It  may  have  been  an  actual  journey,  but 
that  is  not  necessary.  The  devil  did  not  control  the  bodily 
movements  of  Jesus.  Pinnacle  of  the  temple.  Wing  of  the  tem- 
ple overlooking  the  deep  valley  below. 

6.  If  thou  art  the  son  of  God.  He  repeats  the  condition  and 
challenges  him  again  to  prove  it.  This  time  the  devil  appeals  to 
the  nervous  impulse  which  many  people  have  when  on  a  great 
height  to  hurl  themselves  down.  For  it  is  written.  Ps.  90:  11  f. 
(LXX).  Jesus  was  asked  to  presume  recklessly  on  the  protection  of 
God  and  to  do  a  needless  act.  The  people  expected  the  Messiah 
to  come  from  the  skies  and  this  would  be  a  quick  way  to  establish 
himself  as  Messiah  in  popular  favor. 

84 


MATTHEW 


7.  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Again  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt  Deui 

8.  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God.  Again,  the  devil  taketh 
him  unto  an  exceeding  high  mountain,  and  sheweth 
him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of 

9.  them ;   and  he  said  unto  him,  All  these  things  will  I 

10.  give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me.  Then 
saith  Jesus  unto  him.  Get  thee  hence,  Satan :  for  it  is 
written.  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 

11.  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.    Then  the  devil  leaveth  Deui 
him;    and  behold,  angels  came  and  ministered  imto 
him. 


7.  Again  it  is  written.  Jesus  gives  the  devil  Scripture  for 
Scripture,  Deut.  6:  16  (LXX). 

8.  Again.  Luke  has  a  different  order  for  the  last  two  temp- 
tations. It  is  impossible  to  tell  which  is  the  actual  order.  That 
of  Matthew  is  more  logical  and  climacteric.  An  exceeding 
mountain.  No  mountain  is  high  enough  for  the  purpose,  but  a 
high  mountain  would  help  the  mental  picture  as  the  kingdoms  of 
the  world  pass  in  review.  The  glory  of  them.  The  mind  was  to 
be  fascinated  by  the  glitter  of  earthly  glory.  Ambition  is  here 
appealed  to,  one  of  the  greatest  forces  in  human  nature.  No 
strong  nature  is  devoid  of  ambition.  Jesus  had  it  in  its  highest 
form. 

9.  I  give  thee.  A  definite  offer  here  and  now.  The  devil 
assumes  that  he  has  possession  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  world. 
Nor  does  Jesus  dispute  his  claim.  Worship  me.  Luke  (4 :  7)  has  it 
"  worship  before  me."  The  price  of  the  goal  of  ambition  is  ac- 
knowledgment of  Satan's  gift.  He  does  not  ask  Jesus  to  re- 
nounce the  Father,  but  only  to  recognize  him  as  worthy  of  wor- 
ship also. 

10.  Get  thee  hence.  Jesus  will  parley  no  more.  For  it  is 
written.  Deut.  6:13  (LXX).  Thus  the  great  victory  is  won  over 
the  devil  by  the  use  of  Scripture  and  the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
two  weapons  ready  for  us  all. 

11.  Leaveth  him.  But  not  for  good  (Lk.  4:  13).  Angels. 
They  come  after  the  victory  is  complete. 


85 


IV.  Galilee  the  Main  Scene  of  the  Messianic  Ac- 
tivity, 4: 12-13: 58 

Representative  Examples  of  Chrisfs  Words  and  Deeds 

I.   The  New  Home  of  Jesus,  4: 12-16 

5   M   12.       Now  when  he  heard  that  John  was  delivered  up, 

13.  he  withdrew  into  Galilee;   and  leaving  Nazareth,  he 

came  and  dwelt  in  Capernaum,  which  is  by  the  sea, 

12.  Heard.  Cf.  Matt.  14  :  13,  The  news  was  a  call  to  action. 
Was  delivered  up.  The  details  are  given  in  Matt.  14 :  3-5.  Cf. 
Lk.  3  :  19  f.  The  form  of  statement  here  makes  possible  the  idea 
that  the  Pharisees  had  a  hand  in  getting  John  into  the  clutches 
of  Herod  Antipas.  So  John's  Gospel  (4 :  1-3)  mentions  the 
jealousy  of  the  Pharisees  toward  Jesus  as  the  reason  for  Christ's 
departure  from  Judea.  Withdrew  into  Galilee.  Matthew  does 
not  say  that  it  was  done  at  once  after  the  temptation  in  the  wilder- 
ness. Indeed  the  very  word  "  withdrew "  implies  a  public 
ministry  in  Judea  not  mentioned  by  the  Synoptic  Gospels.  Cf. 
Jn.  (Chs.  1-4)  for  this  early  ministry  of  probably  a  year.  The 
length  of  the  Galilean  ministry  is  not  known.  If  there  were  four 
passovers  in  the  ministry  of  Christ,  then  the  Galilean  period 
would  cover  a  year  and  a  half  up  to  a  year  before  his  death.  And 
the  next  six  months  (from  passover  to  tabernacles,  Jn.  6 :  4  and 
7  :  2)  were  spent  chiefly  in  retirement  around  Galilee.  The  heart 
of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  is  devoted  to  the  work  in  and  around 
Galilee.  The  preceding  portions  of  Matthew  are  largely  in- 
troductory to  these  sections.  In  the  Galilean  period  Matthew's 
arrangement  of  material  is  mainly  topical,  and  not  chronological. 

13.  Nazareth.  A  good  specimen  of  Matthew's  method.  He 
has  said  nothing  about  any  visit  to  Nazareth  nor  does  he  explain 
why  Jesus  left  there.  For  that  information  see  Luke  (4:  16-31). 
Apparently  Christ  had  wished  to  give  his  home  town  an  oppor- 
tunity to  accept  him.  If  they  had  done  so,  it  probably  would 
have  continued  to  be  his  home.  Capematun.  A  thriving  com- 
mercial town  by  the  sea  of  Galilee  with  many  Gentiles  as  well  as 
Jews.     It  was  less  provincial  than  Nazareth  and  ought  to  have 

86 


MATTHEW 


14.  in  the  borders  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtali :  that  it  might 
be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  Isaiah  the  prophet, 
saying, 

15.  The  land  of  Zebulun  and  the  land  of  Naphtali,  isa 
Toward  the  sea,  beyond  Jordan,  ® 
Galilee  of  the  Gentiles; 

16.  The  people  which  sat  in  darkness 
Saw  a  great  Ught, 

And  to  them  which  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of 

death, 
To  them  did  light  spring  up. 

2.   The  Messianic  Message^  4:17- 

17.  From  that  time  began  Jesus  to  preach,  and  to  say,  M 
Repent  ye ;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand. 

been  more  hospitable  to  new  truth,  less  under  the  rule  of  the 
Pharisees.  It  is  not  known  whether  it  is  to  be  identified  with  the 
modern  ruins  of  Tell  Hum  (Caphar-Nahum)  or  Khan  Minyeh. 
On  the  whole  Tell  Hum  has  seemed  preferable.  The  ruins  of  a 
synagogue  are  still  visible.  Borders  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtali. 
On  the  boundary  between  the  two. 

14.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled.  The  usual  formula  of  quotation 
in  Matthew.  It  is  a  striking  illustration  of  the  prophecy,  what- 
ever other  matters  the  prophet  Isaiah  may  have  had  in  mind.  The 
quotation  seems  a  translation  from  the  Hebrew  with  occasional 
use  of  the  LXX. 

15.  Beyond  Jordan.  From  the  standpoint  east  of  the  Jordan 
(cf.  Dt.  11:30;  Josh.  5:1).  Usually  this  phrase  means  east 
of  the  Jordan  from  the  point  of  view  of  Jerusalem.  Galilee  of 
the  Gentiles.  This  was  true  in  the  time  of  Isaiah  because  so  near 
to  Phoenicia  and  Syria.  In  B.C.  164  Simon  Maccabaeus  had  car- 
ried the  Jews  out  of  Galilee  (i  Mace.  5  :  23).  Many  had  later 
gone  back,  but  it  remained  partly  a  Gentile  country.  The  Jews 
there  had  a  peculiar  pronunciation  of  Aramaic  (Matt.  26 :  73). 
It  was  a  rich  and  populous  country,  with  agriculture,  fisheries, 
trade.  Here  Jesus  is  in  the  very  centre  of  eastern  life.  The  car- 
avan routes  north  and  south,  east  and  west,  pass  through  Galilee. 

17.  From  that  time.  Cf.  Matt.  16  :  21.  The  phrase  marks  an 
epoch.    Began.     Not  his  ministry  (cf.  the  Judean  Ministry),  but 

87 


MATTHEW 


3.   Four  Followers  Won,  4:18-22 

18.  And  walking  by  the  sea  of  Galilee,  he  saw  two  breth- 
ren, Simon  who  is  called  Peter,  and  Andrew  his  brother, 

19.  casting  a  net  into  the  sea ;  for  they  were  fishers.     And 
he  saith  unto  them.  Come  ye  after  me,  and  I  will  make 

20.  you  fishers  of  men.     And  they  straightway  left  the 

21.  nets,  and  followed  him.    And  going  on  from  thence 
he  saw  other  two  brethren,  James  the  son  of  Zebedee, 


that  part  of  it  which  Matthew  proposes  to  discuss.  Preach. 
Jesus  is  a  preacher  as  is  John  the  Baptist.  Say.  His  message  is 
the  same  as  that  of  John  (Matt.  3:2). 

18.  Sea  of  Galilee.  Probably  near  Capernaum.  This  beau- 
tiful lake,  here  mentioned  for  the  first  time,  plays  a  very  impor- 
tant part  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
bodies  of  water  in  the  world.  It  is  12^  miles  long  and  6|  miles 
wide.  It  is  known  also  as  Lake  of  Gennesaret  (Lk.  5  :  i),  Sea  of 
Tiberias  (Jn.  6:1),  Sea  of  Chinnereth  (Num.  43:11).  Two 
brethren.  Brothers.  Simon  who  is  called  Peter.  Not  at  that 
time,  but  later.  He  was  also  called  Cephas  (Jn.  i  :  42)  as  well  as 
Peter  (Aramaic  and  Greek).  The  Aramaic  form  of  Simon  was 
Symeon  (Acts  15:14).  Symeon  Cephas  was  the  Aramaic  of 
Simon  Peter.  What  Matthew  here  narrates  is  not  inconsistent 
with  the  first  call  of  Andrew  and  Simon  given  in  John's  Gospel. 
Andrew  his  brother.  From  the  later  point  of  view  after  Simon 
became  leader.  At  first  it  was  Andrew  who  brought  Simon  to 
Jesus  (Jn.  1 :  40  ff.).  Casting  a  net  into  the  sea.  So  Mark 
(i  :  16).     Luke  (5  :  2)  does  not  distinguish  between  the  two  boats. 

19.  Fishers  of  men.  So  Mark  (i :  17).  But  Luke  (5:3-10) 
singles  out  Simon  as  the  one  to  whom  this  was  said  and  gives  a 
graphic  picture  of  Simon's  indifference  and  humiliation. 

20.  Left  the  nets.  To  become  fishers  of  men.  Followed 
him.  Permanently.  They  had  already  accepted  Jesus  as  Mes- 
siah and  had  been  with  him,  as  we  know  from  John's  Gospel. 
Previous  acquaintance  with  Jesus  is  really  implied  by  the  narra- 
tive in  Matthew  and  more  so  by  that  in  Luke.  It  is  a  new  stage  in 
the  work  of  Christ  when  he  has  permanent  personal  followers 
unlike  the  following  of  John  the  Baptist. 

21.  Other  two  brethren.  Another  pair  of  brothers,  fishers 
also.  James  the  son  of  Zebedee.  He  is  mentioned  before  John 
in  the  lists,  generally,  though  to  our  minds  John  is  the  greater 

88 


MATTHEW 


and  John  his  brother,  in  the  boat,  with  Zebedee  their 

22.  father,  mending  their  nets ;  and  he  called  them.  And 
they  straightway  left  the  boat  and  their  father,  and 
followed  him. 

4.    The  First  Tour  of  Galilee,  4 :  23-25 

23.  And  Jesus  went  about  in  all  Galilee,  teaching  in  their  M 
synagogues,  and  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom, 
and  healing  all  manner  of  disease  and  all  manner  of 

24.  sickness  among  the  people.    And  the  report  of  him 


character  of  the  two  brothers.  We  think  so  because  he  was  the 
disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  and  because  we  consider  him  to  be  the 
author  of  the  Fourth  Gospel.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered  that 
the  Synoptic  tradition  was  written  down  before.  John's  great  work 
in  Ephesus  and  before  he  wrote  his  Gospel. 

22.  And  their  father.  They  had  more  to  leave.  Mark  (i :  20) 
adds  that  Zebedee  had  *'  hired  servants  "  also.  He  was  ap- 
parently a  man  of  some  property.  John  appears  later  to  have 
had  a  home  also  in  Jerusalem  (Jn.  19:  27).  Here  is  the  nucleus 
of  the  twelve  apostles.  Two  others,  Philip  and  Nathanael  (Bar- 
tholomew), were  already  believers  in  Jesus  (Jn.  i :  43-51). 

23.  Went  about.  A  tour  of  Galilee.  There  were  probably 
two  others.  This  time  Jesus  takes  the  four  followers  (Simon  and 
Andrew,  James  and  John).  All  Galilee.  There  were  204  villages 
in  the  country.  Most  of  the  people  lived  in  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages. The  country  was  70  miles  long  by  40  wide  and  densely 
populated.  The  language  need  not  be  pressed  literally,  but  evi- 
dently a  great  deal  of  work  is  implied.  One  needs  to  let  his  imagi- 
nation dwell  on  these  general  expressions  which  follow.  Teach- 
ing, preaching,  healing.  These  words  properly  describe  the 
work  of  Jesus.  He  was  both  instructor  and  evangelist.  He 
ministered  to  the  body  as  well  as  to  the  soul.  Synagogues. 
These  organizations  for  worship  and  instruction  were  found  in 
every  town.  They  arose  in  the  period  of  exile  in  Babylon  and 
were  kept  up  on  the  return.  They  served  a  splendid  purpose  for 
the  ministry  of  Jesus  and  of  Paul  and  became  the  chief  model  for 
the  local  church.  Gospel  of  the  kingdom.  Note  both  words 
are  used  here  for  the  first  time  concerning  the  message  of  Jesus. 
He  preached  the  good  news  of  the  kingdom. 

24.  Report.     His  fame  spread  rapidly,  chiefly  because  of  his 

89 


MATTHEW 


went  forth  into  all  Syria :  and  they  brought  unto  him 
all  that  were  sick,  holden  with  divers  diseases  and  tor- 
ments, possessed  with  devils,  and  epileptic,  and  palsied; 
25.  and  he  healed  them.  And  there  followed  him  great 
multitudes  from  Galilee  and  Decapolis  and  Jerusalem 
and  Judaea  and  from  beyond  Jordan. 

5.  Exposition  hy  Jesus  of  Righteousness  in  Terms  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven,  Chs.  5-7 

5.      And  seeing  the  multitudes,  he  went  up  into  the 
mountain :   and  when  he  had  sat  down,  his  disciples 


cures.  All  Syria.  Into  the  Gentile  country  to  the  north.  The 
Gentiles  came  and  went  from  Galilee.  All  that  were  sick.  The 
only  varieties  mentioned  here  are  those  possessed  with  demons, 
the  epileptic,  and  the  palsied  (paralytic).  They  are  mentioned 
as  separate  classes.  The  problem  of  demoniacal  possession  will 
be  discussed  elsewhere.  He  healed  them.  It  used  to  be  popular 
to  deny  the  reality  of  these  cures.  But,  since  so  many  psychic 
healers  in  modern  times  perform  remarkable  cures  of  nervous  and 
similar  troubles  when  the  mind  can  influence  the  body,  such  de- 
nials are  less  positive. 

25.  Followed  him.  Not  permanently  as  the  four  had  done, 
but  till  they  were  healed  or  were  satisfied.  Great  multitudes. 
They  came  from  Galilee,  from  the  Greek  Decapolis,  from  the 
Pharisaic  headquarters  at  Jerusalem  and  in  Judea,  and  even  from 
Perea. 

(i)    Circumstances  of  the  Discourse.     5  :  i  f . 

I.  And.  The  conjunction  indicates  nothing  whatever  as  to 
the  date  of  the  discourse  here  given.  It  very  probably  did  not 
come  in  the  early  part  of  the  Galilean  ministry,  though  certainly 
not  at  the  end.  The  great  crowds  indicate  that  some  time  had 
elapsed  since  Jesus  began  his  work  in  Galilee.  The  time  of  the 
event  is  likely  to  be  found  in  Lk.  6  :  12-49.  We  may  imagine  sev- 
eral months  of  the  Galilean  ministry  as  past  when  Jesus  delivered 
this  great  discourse.  It  is  put  by  Matthew  at  the  very  beginning 
of  this  ministry,  probably  for  rhetorical  reasons.  It  certainly 
does  make  a  powerful  impression  and  helps  to  explain  the  power 
of  Jesus  with  the  people.  Seeing  the  miiltitudes.  The  occasion 
of  the  sermon.     Luke  (6:  12  f.)  records  that  Jesus  had  gone  up 

90 


MATTHEW 


2.  came  unto  him :  and  he  opened  his  mouth  and  taught 
them,  saying, 


into  the  mountain  to  pray  and  after  a  whole  night  of  prayer  had 
chosen  the  twelve  apostles.  Mark  (3  :  13-19)  agrees  with  Luke 
as  to  the  choice  of  the  twelve.  Matthew  says  nothing  on  that 
point,  but  merely  mentions  their  names  with  Simon  Peter  as 
"  first  "  when  they  were  sent  out  on  a  special  tour  much  later 
(Matt.  10:  2-5).  Here  Matthew  gives  only  the  public  aspect  of 
the  occasion,  while  Luke,  as  often,  presents  the  more  personal 
point  of  view,  especially  about  prayer.  Into  the  mountain.  Luke 
(6:  17)  mentions  also  that  Jesus  "came  down  with  them  "  (the 
disciples)  "  and  stood  on  a  level  place."  It  is  idle  to  speculate  as 
to  the  mountain  on  which  this  teaching  was  delivered.  The 
mountain  called  the  Horns  of  Hattin  has  a  level  shoulder  well 
adapted  to  the  description  in  Luke.  But  "  the  mountain  "  is 
merely  assumed  in  Matthew  as  well  known  to  all.  But  Luke  pro- 
ceeds (6  :  17-19)  to  tell  of  a  great  amount  of  healing  done  by  Jesus, 
all  of  which  is  passed  by  in  Matthew.  It  is  probably  at  this 
juncture  that  Matthew  takes  up  the  story.  Seeing  the  crowds, 
Jesus  went  up  a  little  higher  on  the  mountain  side  above  the  level 
place  where  he  had  been  healing  the  sick  and  "  sat  down  "  as  was 
the  custom  for  Jewish  teachers.  Sat  down.  This  was  the 
signal  that  he  was  about  to  address  the  crowd.  Cf.  Lk.  4:20. 
Disciples  came  imto  him.  The  twelve  just  chosen  drew  nearer 
to  hear  him.  They  felt  a  new  sense  of  responsibility  and  privilege. 
Jesus  had  appointed  them  to  be  with  him,  to  preach,  and  to  have 
authority  to  cast  out  demons  (Mk.  3  :  14  f.).  Already  they  knew 
that  they  must  themselves  some  day  be  preachers.  Mark  (3  :  13) 
comments  on  the  fact  that  Jesus  called  whom  he  himself  would 
and  Luke  (6  :  12)  remarks  that  it  was  done  after  a  night  of  prayer. 
There  were  other  disciples  present,  "  a  great  multitude  of  his 
disciples"  (Lk.  6:17),  besides  these  twelve.  There  was  also 
present  a  vast  crowd  of  people  from  many  regions  all  the  way  from 
Jerusalem  to  Tyre  and  Sidon  (Lk.  6:17;  Matt.  5  :  i ;  7  :  28 ;  8:1). 
Both  Matthew  and  Luke  describe  the  audience  as  composed  of 
both  believers  in  Jesus  and  a  great  multitude  besides. 

2.  Opened  his  mouth.  Not  mere  tautology.  He  spoke  in  a  de- 
liberate manner.  Cf.  13  :  35.  Luke  (6  :  20)  remarks  that "  he  lifted 
up  his  eyes  on  his  disciples."  Taught  them.  If  John  was  preemi- 
nently the  Herald  (preacher)  Jesus  was  distinctly  the  Teacher.  He 
was  a  teaching  preacher  and  a  preaching  teacher.  Matthew  treats 
what  he  here  gives  from  the  teaching  of  Jesus  as  one  great  dis- 
course. He  tells  (7 :  28  f.)  the  effect  of  the  sermon  on  the  audi- 
ence.    As  compared  with  the  corresponding  report  in  Luke,  the 

91. 


MATTHEW 


Q     3.       Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit :  for  theirs  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. 

sermon  in  Matthew  is  much  briefer  and  Luke  (Ch.  12  in  particu- 
lar) gives  elsewhere  certain  sayings  of  Jesus  here  reported  by- 
Matthew.  It  is  abstractly  possible  that  Matthew  has  collected 
together  favorite  sayings  of  Jesus  and  grouped  them  under  one 
general  theme.  But  Luke's  report  of  the  sermon  in  Ch.  6  begins 
like  that  in  Matthew,  has  the  same  general  line  of  argument,  and 
ends  like  it.  The  audience  is  the  same  and  both  are  represented 
as  a  single  address.  It  seems  probable  therefore  that  in  both  ac- 
counts we  have  the  record  of  an  actual  sermon  reported  with 
freedom  as  sermons  were  (and  are).  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
either  Matthew  or  Luke  makes  a  complete  report  of  this  great 
address.  Neither  one  may  have  used  all  the  material  known  to 
him,  but  both  probably  incorporated  what  suited  the  purpose  in 
hand.  What  Matthew  alone  gives  is  particularly  about  the  rela- 
tion of  Christ's  teaching  to  the  current  Jewish  doctrine  and  prac- 
tice and  is  germane  to  the  general  attitude  of  Matthew's  Gospel. 
It  is  possible  that  Luke  may  have  purposely  or  unconsciously 
placed  certain  portions  elsewhere.  But  it  is  much  more  likely 
that  Jesus,  like  all  great  teachers,  repeated  many  of  these  say- 
ings on  various  occasions.  This  he  would  do  with  new  audi- 
ences and  sometimes  it  was  necessary  to  do  so  with  the  same  au- 
dience. There  is  a  real  unity  in  the  sermon,  as  the  outline  will 
attempt  to  show.  The  theme  and  the  purpose  of  the  address 
will  come  out  presently. 

(2)  Introduction  to  the  Discourse,  5:3-16 

3.  Blessed.  More  strictly,  "  Happy."  The  word  accents  the 
actual  inner  state  rather  than  the  outward  appearance  as  another 
sees  it.  The  word  occurs  nine  times  in  these  verses.  Hence  one 
way  of  counting  the  Beatitudes  is  to  make  nine.  Others  blend 
them  so  as  to  count  only  seven  or  eight,  making  verses  1 1  and  1 2 
mere  explanations  of  verse  10.  Still  others  count  ten,  taking 
verse  12  as  a  distinct  Beatitude,  in  order  to  have  Ten  Beati- 
tudes to  correspond  with  the  Ten  Commandments  on  Mount 
Sinai.  But  it  is  difficult  to  think  that  this  point  was  in  the  mind 
of  Jesus  or  of  the  writer.  Luke  indeed  has  only  four  (or  five) 
Beatitudes,  but  adds  four  woes  not  in  Matthew.  The  language 
of  the  two  reports  varies  slightly,  as  was  to  be  expected.  It  is 
possible  that  Jesus  had  in  mind  the  language  of  the  First  Psalm. 
Various  parallels  in  the  rabbinical  teaching  have  been  found  for 
certain  of  the  phrases  used  by  Jesus,  but  the  point  of  view  of 
Jesus  in  the  Beatitudes  was  revolutionary  to  his  auditors.     What 

92 


MATTHEW 


4.  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn :  for  they  shall  be  com- 
forted. 

5.  Blessed  are  the  meek:   for  they  shall  inherit  the  R 
earth. 

6.  Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  right-  Q 
eousness  :  for  they  shall  be  filled. 


Jesus  failed  to  mention  was  as  surprising  as  what  he  did  specify. 
He  passes  by  all  Jewish  privileges  and  outward  station.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  see  different  classes  of  persons  in  each  Beatitude, 
nor  any  logical  order  in  them.  They  appeal  to  the  poetic  instinct. 
The  aphoristic  method  of  teaching  here  employed  is  common  with 
Jesus.  The  Beatitudes  describe  the  inward  spiritual  attitude 
of  those  who  have  received  the  Kingdom  into  their  hearts.  They 
are  already  believers.  It  is  important  to  note  that  in  the  dis- 
cussion of  righteousness  which  is  to  follow  Jesus  assumes  the  new 
heart,  which  alone  makes  it  possible  to  come  up  to  the  lofty  ethical 
standard  here  set  up.  The  poor  in  spirit.  Luke  has  only  "  ye 
poor,"  but  the  absence  of  self-sufficiency  leads  to  dependence  on 
God.  For.  Each  of  the  Beatitudes  has  a  reason  given.  The 
reason  relieves  the  paradox  to  some  extent.  Theirs  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  This  spiritual  dependence  on  God  is  proof  that 
one  possesses  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  his  heart.  Else  he  would 
not  trust  in  God.  The  use  of  kingdom  here  is  personal  and  spirit- 
ual, not  eschatological. 

4.  Mourn.  Another  paradox.  Jesus  does  not  mean  that 
mourning  in  itself  is  a  blessing.  Comforted.  It  is  a  ground  of 
blessing  when  it  leads  to  the  higher  consolation.  The  comfort  is 
the  antithesis  of  the  grief.  The  optimism  of  Jesus  overcomes  the 
pessimism  of  sorrow. 

5.  Meek.  Each  Beatitude  implies  a  certain  modification, 
but  the  sharp  statement  arrests  the  attention.  It  is  hard  to  see 
a  wide  difference  between  "  the  meek  "  and  "  the  poor  in  spirit," 
except  that  humility  is  rather  the  spirit  of  the  meek  man.  Meek- 
ness was  a  virtue  in  the  Psalms  (37  :  11),  but  riot  in  the  Greek  and 
Roman  world.  Inherit  the  earth.  Quoted  from  Ps.  37 :  11. 
Hardly  meant  to  be  taken  literally,  though  the  precise  spiritual 
significance  is  obscure.  Possibly,  "  will  get  the  best  out  of  the 
earth." 

6.  Hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness.  Less  paradoxical 
in  appearance.  The  passion  for  goodness  is  one  of  the  noblest 
things  in  man.  It  is  the  longing  for  righteousness  that  is  praised, 
not  the  self-satisfied  possession  of  it.     Be  filled.     But  not  made 

93 


MATTHEW 


R     7.       Blessed  are  the  merciful:    for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy. 

8.  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart:  for  they  shall  see 
God. 

9.  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers:    for  they  shall  be 
i       called  sons  of  God. 

10.  Blessed  are  they  that  have  been  persecuted  for 
righteousness'   sake:    for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 

11.  heaven.    Blessed  are  ye  when  we;^  shall  reproach  you, 
and  persecute  you,  and  say  all  manner  of  evil  against 


content  with  one's  attainments.     The  reward  of  the  struggle  for 
goodness  is  to  become  better. 

7.  Merciful.  Not  the  law  of  brute  force  with  tooth  and  claw. 
Not  might,  but  love.  To  some  extent  the  law  of  mercy  holds 
among  men.  Obtain  mercy.  What  is  sometimes  true  of  men  is 
the  law  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  child  of  the  kingdom 
reflects  the  spirit  of  his  Father. 

8.  Pure  in  heart.  Cf .  Ps.  24 :  4.  Purity  in  the  widest  sense 
of  the  term  is  meant.  Cf ,  what  Jesus  says  about  the  heart  as  the 
seat  of  impurity  (Matt.  15:19)  in  opposition  to  the  ceremonial 
traditionalism  of  the  Pharisees.  See  God.  Cf.  Ps.  11:7.  It 
was  difl&cult  to  get  an  introduction  to  an  oriental  monarch,  but 
most  probably  the  idea  is  rather  the  beatific  vision  which  only  the 
purified  heart  can  have. 

9.  Peacemakers.  Not  peacebreakers.  The  nations  honor 
the  heroes  of  war.  Jesus  puts  the  crown  on  the  promoters  of 
peace  among  men.  Called  sons  of  God.  They  are  likely  to  incur 
the  ill-will  of  both  sides  to  a  dispute,  but  are  in  reality  like  the 
Prince  of  Peace.  This  does  not  mean  the  inability  to  stand  up 
against  error,  as  the  example  of  Jesus  amply  shows.  But  he  does 
honor  the  disciple  who  sows  peace  among  men. 

10.  Have  been  persecuted.  One  of  the  most  paradoxical  of 
all.  The  persecutor  considers  himself  the  favored  of  fortune. 
But  Jesus  here  qualifies  the  remark  by  adding  "  for  righteousness' 
sake."  A  martyr's  crown  is  not  to  be  sought,  else  the  halo  is 
gone.  Theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Cf.  vs.  3.  It  is  proof 
of  the  new  life  of  the  kingdom  that  one  suffers  persecution  for 
goodness. 

11.  Reproach  you,  and  persecute  you.  A  repetition  and  ex- 
pansion of  the  Beatitude  in  vs.  10.    Falsely.     If  the  evil  told  be 

94 


MATTHEW 


12.  you  falsely,  for  my  sake.    Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  Q 
glad :  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven :  for  so  perse- 
cuted they  the  prophets  which  were  before  you. 

13.  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth :  but  if  the  salt  have  lost  R 
its  savour,  wherewith  shall  it  be  salted  ?  it  is  thence-  Q 
forth  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out  and  trodden 

14.  under  foot  of  men.     Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world.    A  R 

15.  city  set  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid.  Neither  do  men  light  Q 
a  lamp,  and  put  it  under  the  bushel,  but  on  the  stand ; 

16.  and  it  shineth  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house.    Even  so  R 
let  your  light  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your 
good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven. 


true,  there  is  no  blessedness  in  it.  For  my  sake.  The  persecu- 
tion must  relate  to  the  cause  of  Christ  to  get  the  crown  of  praise 
from  him. 

12.  Rejoice.  In  view  of  this  Beatitude.  Your  reward  in 
heaven.  There  if  not  on  earth.  There  is  a  reward  on  earth,  the 
joy  of  goodness.     So  persecuted.     History  repeats  itself. 

13.  Ye.  Those  described  in  verses  3-12.  Hence  it  seems 
best  to  connect  verses  13-16  with  the  Beatitudes.  Such  character- 
istics as  the  Beatitudes  present  impose  great  responsibilities. 
The  salt  of  the  earth.  Salt  is  one  of  earth's  greatest  blessings, 
so  long  as  it  is  preservative.  The  opportunity  for  doing  good 
consists  essentially  in  being  good.  The  life  of  the  kingdom  must 
abide,  else  the  power  of  the  kingdom  is  gone.^ 

14.  Tlie  light  of  the  world.  The  same  truth  presented  under 
another  figure.  The  world  needs  light.  Where  else  can  it  get  the 
light  ?  The  source  of  the  Christian's  light  is  Jesus  ( Jn.  8  :  12).  Set 
on  a  hill.  Like  this  mountain  on  which  they  were.  Another 
figure  for  their  responsibility. 

15.  Under  the  bushel.  A  particular  illustration  of  the 
"  light  "  figure  above.  A  redtictio  ad  absurdum.  The  candle  or 
lamp  might  better  be  set  on  the  bushel. 

16.  So.  As  just  explained.  Before  men.  Not  under  a 
bushel.  That  they  may  see.  Not  to  praise  the  man,  but  to 
glorify  God.  The  object  of  light  is  to  shine.  Do  not  defeat 
God's  purpose. 

95 


MATTHEW 


17.  Think  not  that  I  came  to  destroy  the  law  or   the 

18.  prophets :  I  came  not  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.  For 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass  away, 
one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  away  from  the 


(3)    The  Theme  of  the  Discourse:    Christ's  Idea  of  Righteousness 
contrasted  with  the  Current  Jewish  Teaching,  5  :  1 7-20 

17.  Think  not.  Clearly  implying  that  some  had  regarded  him 
as  a  revolutionary  teacher,"  overturning  the  Mosaic  and  pro- 
phetic teaching.  The  chief  object  of  the  sermon  seems  to  be  set 
forth  Christ's  conception  of  righteousness.  Luke  does  not  have 
this  section  because  of  its  Jewish  tone.  Luke  gives  only  the 
spiritual  and  moral  aspects  of  Christ's  teaching  on  this  occasion. 
Jesus  pointedly  denies  that*  he  has  come  to  destroy  or  abrogate 
the  teaching  of  the  Old  Testament.  But  he  does  not  say  that  he 
has  come  to  indorse  the  Pharisaic  interpretation  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment as  set  forth  in  their  oral  law.  Indeed  he  sharply  indicts 
both  their  teaching  and  their  practice.  Or  the  prophets.  Not 
a  superfluous  addition.  Christ  means,  in  a  word,  the  Old  Testa- 
ment teaching  succinctly  covered  by  "  the  law  or  the  prophets." 
But  to  fulfil.  To  fill  full,  to  complete.  Jesus  is  not  here  putting 
the  shackles  of  rabbinism  on  his  disciples  nor  is  his  position  incon- 
sistent with  the  general  tenor  of  the  sermon.  There  are  various 
ways  of  completing.  One  is  to  give  the  substance  where  only 
the  shadow  has  been.  Another  is  to  find  the  deeper  moral  signifi- 
cance in  laws  already  in  force,  to  carry  these  laws  farther  in  the 
same  direction.  Another  way  is  to  make  effective  laws  that  were 
good,  but  were  inoperative.  In  all  these  ways  Jesus  completed 
the  teaching  of  the  Old  Testament.  In  Rom.  10 :  4  Paul  calls 
Christ  the  "  end  of  the  law  to  every  one  who  believes."  The  law 
is  no  longer  looked  upon  as  a  means  of  salvation.  It  never  suc- 
ceeded in  that.  It  can  only  be  kept  by  one  who  has  the  new  heart. 
The  ceremonial  aspects  of  the  Old  Testament  found  their  real 
fulfilment  in  Christ.  In  the  nature  of  the  case  Jesus  could  not 
go  into  all  this  phase  of  the  matter.  He  could  only  speak  on 
broad  lines  and  give  illustrations.  His  independent  attitude 
("  But  I  say  unto  you  ")  shows  that  he  is  no  mere  literalist. 

18.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  A  solemn  form  of  statement  which 
also  reveals  Christ's  consciousness  as  a  teacher.  Till.  He  means 
always.  One  jot.  Yod,  the  smallest  Hebrew  letter.  One 
tittle.  A  horn  or  curve  on  a  Hebrew  letter.  Till  all  things  be 
accomplished.  Jesus  pointedly  gives  his  indorsement  to  the 
value  and  permanent  usefulness  of  the  Old  Testament  teaching. 

96 


MATTHEW 


19.  law,  till  all  things  be  accomplished.  Whosoever 
therefore  shall  break  one  of  these  least  commandments, 
and  shall  teach  men  so,  shall  be  called  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven :  but  whosoever  shall  do  and  teach 
them,  he  shall  be  called  great  in    the  kingdom  of 

20.  heaven.  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  except  your  right- 
eousness shall  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. 


It  is  needless  to  think  these  verses  an  addition  by  a  conservative 
editor.  The  word  "  accomplished  "  or  fulfilled,  as  shown  above, 
has  various  senses.  Jesus  himself  is  the  goal  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment teaching.  The  spirit  is  more  than  the  letter.  The  Old 
Testament  gains  its  real  life  in  Jesus.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  Jesus  here  means  that  rabbinical  rules  were  to  be  imposed 
upon  Gentiles  nor  even  to  be  binding  upon  Jews  always.  His 
whole  tone  shows  that  he  is  after  the  heart  of  the  Old  Testament. 
He  probably  speaks  strongly  here  because  of  the  contrasts  soon  to 
be  brought  out. 

19.  One  of  these  least  commandments.  The  command- 
ments were  not  all  of  the  same  ethical  value.  Cf.  Matt.  22  :  36; 
23  :  23.  But  Jesus  condemns  light-hearted  violation  of  the  least, 
a  point  of  view  needed  by  many  to-day.  Teach  men  so.  Men 
who  add  evil  teaching  to  evil  living.  Least  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  Jesus  does  not  rule  out  of  the  kingdom  men  who  break 
one  of  the  least  commandments.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  not 
mechanical.  But  he  does  not  commend  those  who  wilfully  vio- 
late even  the  ceremonial  commandments.  Christ  calls  "  hypo- 
crites "  the  Pharisees  who  care  only  for  the  external.  But  he 
does  not  crown  with  the  highest  honors  those  who  care  nothing 
for  the  external.  Do  and  teach.  Practice  and  profession,  a 
needed  word  for  all  disciples,  particularly  teachers  and  preachers. 
Great.     Not  greatest.     "  Great  "  is  honor  enough. 

20.  I  say  unto  you.  Deliberate  statement.  Practically  all 
the  rest  of  the  sermon  turns  on  this  verse.  Your  righteousness. 
That  demanded  of  those  in  the  kingdom.  This  he  proceeds  to 
set  forth  by  way  of  contrast  with  that  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
and  then  by  positive  description.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees. 
The  scribes  were  a  class,  a  calling.  The  Pharisees  were  a  society. 
The  scribes  were  usually  Pharisees,  but  not  always.  In  5  :  21-48 
Jesus  contrasts  his  teaching  about  righteousness  with  that  of  the 

H  97 


MATTHEW 


21.  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  to  them  of  old  time, 
Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  and  whosoever  shall  kill  shall  be 

22.  in  danger  of  the  judgement :  but  I  say  unto  you,  that 
every  one  who  is  angry  with  his  brother  shall  be  in 


scribes,  the  authorized  religious  teachers  of  the  time.  In  6  : 1-18 
he  compares  the  practice  of  righteousness  by  members  of  the  King- 
dom with  the  practice  of  the  Pharisees,  Cf .  "  Do  and  teach " 
above.  In  no  wise.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  were  the  religious 
leaders  of  the  day.  If  people  had  no  higher  ideals  and  attainments 
than  these  religious  lights,  they  had  no  chance  at  all  of  entering  the 
kingdom  of  God.  It  is  a  most  astounding  statement  from  the 
point  of  view  of  Christ's  audience.  He  proceeds  to  justify  this 
indictment.  He  then  adds  (6:19-7:12)  practical  illustrations 
of  the  righteousness  required  by  him. 

(4)      The  Argument  Developed,  5:21-7:12 

(a)  The  teaching  of  Jesus  a  real  extension  of  that  in  the  Old 
Testament,  though  out  of  harmony  with  that  of  the  scribes  in 
some  vital  points.  5  :  21-48.  There  are  five  illustrations  of  the 
fulfilment  of  the  law  given  by  Jesus.  They  concern  the  questions 
of  murder  (21-26),  adultery  (27-32),  oaths  (33-37),  retaliation 
(38-42),  love  of  enemies  (43-48).  They  illustrate  both  Christ's 
attitude  to  the  real  spirit  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  his  relation 
to  the  teaching  of  the  scribes. 

21.  Ye  have  heard.  Suitable  to  direct  appeal  in  a  sermon. 
He  uses  the  expression  at  the  beginning  of  each  of  the  five  exam- 
ples. To  them  of  old  times.  The  time  of  Jesus  was  modern  as 
compared  with  the  ancient  days.  Jesus  quotes  freely  the  sense  of 
the  O.  T.  chiefly  from  the  LXX.  Cf.  Ex.  20 :  15 ;  21:12;  Deut. 
5:18;    17:8. 

22.  But  I  say  unto  you.  Each  time  in  these  five  illustrations 
Christ  sets  what  he  has  to  say  over  against  what  he  has  quoted. 
He  does  it  with  a  full  sense  of  authority  and  greatly  astonishes 
his  hearers  by  so  doing.  He  does  not  quote  from  any  other  rabbis 
to  reenforce  his  positions.  Jesus  does  not  mean  that  he  is  opposing 
the  Old  Testament  teaching.  Far  from  it.  The  rabbis  (scribes) 
were  satisfied  with  the  barest  literalism  and  did  not  always  accept 
that.  But  Jesus  goes  farther  than  the  Old  Testament.  How- 
ever, he  goes  in  the  same  direction.  He  finds  the  principle  behind 
the  precept  and  indorses  that.  Angry  with  his  brother.  Be- 
cause murder  comes  from  anger.  Banish  anger,  and  murder  dis- 
appears.    Besides,  anger  is  the  same  kind  of  sin  as  murder.     They 

98 


MATTHEW 


danger  of  the  judgement;  and  whosoever  shall  say 
to  his  brother,  Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council ; 
and  whosoever  shall  say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger 

23.  of  the  hell  of  fire.  If  therefore  thou  art  offering  thy 
gift  at  the  altar,  and  there  rememberest  that  thy 

24.  brother  hath  aught  against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift 
before  the  altar,  and  go  thy  way;  first  be  reconciled  to 

25.  thy  brother,  and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift.    Agree 
with  thine  adversary  quickly,  whiles  thou  art  with  Q 
him  in  the  way ;  lest  haply  the  adversary  deliver  thee 

to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer, 

26.  and  thou  be  cast  into  prison.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee. 
Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till  thou  have 
paid  the  last  farthing. 

27.  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said.  Thou  shalt  not  com-  R 

28.  mit  adultery :  but  I  say  unto  you,  that  every  one  that 
looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her  hath  committed 

29.  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart.    And  if  thy 

differ  in  degree  more  than  in  quality.  Raca.  An  Aramaic  word 
for  simpleton  or  blockhead.  Thou  fool.  A  little  more  pointed 
than  "  Raca."  Hell  of  fire.  Gehenna,  originally  derived  from 
the  Valley  of  Hinnom,  where  the  refuse  of  Jerusalem  continually 
burned.  It  is  the  word  for  the  place  of  eternal  punishment.  It 
is  the  hell  characterized  by  fire.  The  language  is  metaphorical, 
but  is  meant  to  convey  the  dreadful  reality  of  the  punishment  of 
sin, 

23.  Rememberest.  The  religious  act  causes  a  sudden  search- 
ing of  the  heart. 

24.  First  be  reconciled.  More  important  than  perfunctory 
offerings  to  God  with  hate  in  the  heart. 

25.  Agree.     Be  willing  to  go  more  than  halfway. 

26.  The  last  farthing.  If  you  elect  the  law,  the  law  will  show 
no  mercy. 

27.  Cf.  Ex.  20:13;    Deut.  5:17.     The  second  illustration. 

28.  The  sharp  contrast  again.  Already  in  his  heart.  The 
lustful  look  comes  from  the  lustful  heart.  To  cherish  such  a 
desire  is  the  beginning  of  the  sin. 

99 


MATTHEW 


right  eye  causeth  thee  to  stumble,  pluck  it  out,  and 
cast  it  from  thee :  for  it  is  profitable  for  thee  that  one 
of  thy  members  should  perish,  and  not  thy  whole  body 

Q  30.  be  cast  into  hell.  And  if  thy  right  hand  causeth  thee 
to  stumble,  cut  it  off,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  for  it  is 
profitable  for  thee  that  one  of  thy  members  should 

R  31.  perish,  and  not  thy  whole  body  go  into  hell.  It  was 
said  also.  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  let  him 
32.  give  her  a  writing  of  divorcement :  but  I  say  unto  you, 
that  every  one  that  putteth  away  his  wife,  saving  for 
the  cause  of  fornication,  maketh  her  an  adulteress: 
and  whosoever  shall  marry  her  when  she  is  put  away 
committeth  adultery. 


29.  Pluck  it  out.  Heroic  treatment.  Spiritual  surgery  Jesus 
has  in  mind.  Cf.  the  "  pure  in  heart  "  vs.  18.  This  is  one  appli- 
cation of  that  purity.  Hell.  The  words  "  of  fire  "  are  wanting, 
but  no  lessening  of  the  punishment  is  meant. 

30.  Cut  it  off.  Jesus  does  not  mean,  of  course,  that  these 
members  of  themselves  could  be  guilty  of  sin  independently  of 
the  heart.     It  is  bold  imagery  and  very  effective. 

31.  It  was  said  also.  Some  would  make  this  a  separate  illus- 
tration, but  it  is  just  another  form  of  adultery.  A  writing  of 
divorcement.  This  of  itself  was  a  great  restriction  upon  the  hus- 
band's whim.     The  wife  was  at  least  given  some  protection. 

32.  But  I  say  unto  you.  Jesus  restricts  divorce  still  further. 
Saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication.  Many  of  the  Pharisees 
treated  divorce  as  a  very  light  matter  indeed.  They  were  divided 
on  the  point  themselves  and  will  later  seek  to  entrap  Jesus  (Matt. 
19:  3-12)  in  the  dispute  between  the  rival  schools  of  Hillel  and 
Shammai.  Some  scholars  consider  this  exception  an  addition 
by  the  Evangelist  or  a  copyist  and  not  a  part  of  the  teaching  of 
Jesus,  but  the  objection  rests  on  insufficient  grounds.  Cf.  also 
Matt.  19  :  9.  Christ  narrows  the  Mosaic  regulation  (Deut.  24 :  i) 
to  this  one  ground  of  divorce.  The  man  who  divorces  his  wife  for 
any  other  cause  is  treated  by  Jesus  as  responsible  for  making  her 
an  adulteress.  Whosoever  shall  marry  her.  All  three  persons 
thus  become  guilty  of  adultery  in  the  eye  of  Christ.  He  does 
not  here  (cf.  Mk.  10:  12)  mention  the  case  of  the  woman  who 
secures  a  divorce  nor  does  he  speak  of  the  remarriage  of  the  inno- 


MATTHEW 


33.  Again,  ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  to  them  of  old 
time,  Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself,  but  shalt  per- 

34.  form  unto  the  Lord  thine  oaths :  but  I  say  unto  you, 
Swear  not  at  all ;  neither  by  the  heaven,  for  it  is  the 

35.  throne  of  God ;  nor  by  the  earth,  for  it  is  the  footstool 
of  his  feet ;  nor  by  Jerusalem,  for  it  is  the  city  of  the 

36.  great  King.     Neither  shalt  thou  swear  by  thy  head, 

37.  for  thou  canst  not  make  one  hair  white  or  black.  But 
let  your  speech  be.  Yea,  yea ;  Nay,  nay :  and  whatso- 
ever is  more  than  these  is  of  the  evil  one. 

cent  party  when  the  guilty  one  has  been  divorced.     The  failure  to 
condemn  such  remarriage  is  usually  interpreted  as  sanctioning  it. 
2,T,.   To  them  of  old  time.     Cf.  5:21.     The  third  illustration. 
Cf .  Lev.  19  :  12;    Deut.  23  :  21;    Ps.  50 :  14. 

34.  Swear  not  at  all.  This  is  the  new  teaching  of  Jesus.  The 
Jews  avoided  oaths  with  the  name  of  God  in  them,  but  had  many 
other  devices  which  Jesus  calls  wrong.  Hence  profanity  had  come 
to  be  a  common  vice,  as  it  is,  alas,  to-day.  The  throne  of  God. 
Christ  gives  this  as  the  reason  for  not  using  the  term  "  heaven  "  in 
an  oath.  It  was  possibly  the  most  frequent  of  their  secondary 
oaths. 

35.  The  footstool  of  his  feet.  The  earth  itself  is  hallowed  and 
too  sacred  for  flippant  swearing.  The  city  of  the  great  king. 
Another  common  oath  was  the  use  of  Jerusalem. 

36.  By  thy  head.  Another  of  their  oaths.  So  Greeks  and 
Romans.  Cf.  the  Mohammedan  oath,  "  By  your  beard."  So 
"  By  Aaron's  beard."  It  is  not  really  your  head  to  use  in  such  a 
manner !     Cf.  our  "  By  my  life." 

37.  Yea,  yea;  Nay,  nay.  Affirmative  and  denial.  If  neces- 
sary, repeat.  Cf.  Jas.  5:12.  So  Jesus  said  "Verily,  verily." 
The  evil  one.  Or,  of  evil.  The  Greek  allows  either  translation. 
The  point  is  that  oaths  of  any  kind  have  their  origin  in  evil  or  the 
evil  one.  This  is  not  the  same  thing  as  saying  that  every  oath 
is  essentially  evil.  For  instance,  Jesus  himself  spoke  an  oath 
before  the  Sanhedrin  (Matt.  26 :  63  f.).  But  the  very  reason  for 
putting  a  man  on  oath  before  a  court  of  justice  grows  out  of  dis- 
trust of  human  speech  due  to  sin.  Untruthfuless  is  responsible 
for  it.  Paul  likewise  used  a  most  solemn  oath  (Rom.  9:1  f.)  to 
show  his  sincere  love  for  the  Jews,  who  regarded  him  as  an  enemy. 
Cf.  also  2  Cor.  1:17-20.  But  light  and  flippant  swearing  is 
condemned  without  qualification.  ^ 


MATTHEW 


38.  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  An  eye  for  an  eye, 

39.  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth :  but  I  say  unto  you.  Resist 
not  him  that  is  evil :  but  whosoever  smiteth  thee  on 

40.  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.    And  if 
any  man  would  go  to  law  with  thee,  and  take  away  thy 


38.  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth.     Ex.  24 :  21 ; 

Lev.  24:20;  Deut.  19:21.  Cf.  also  the  Law  of  Solon,  the  Roman 
Tables,  the  Code  of  Hammurabi.  Ex.  42  :  21  belongs  to  the  Book 
of  the  Covenant.  The  fourth  illustration  is  thus  the  lex  talionis 
(law  of  retaliation).  In  a  rude  state  of  society  it  was  a  restriction 
for  this  primitive  justice  to  be  taken  out  of  private  hands  and  put 
into  the  law  of  the  state.  Personal  vengeance  is  still  exercised 
in  some  modern  lands.  Feuds  of  long  standing  result.  The  bare 
form  of  this  crude  law  was  a  great  advance.  One  could  not  injure 
more  than  he  had  been  injured. 

39.  Resist  not  him  that  is  evil.  The  Greek  is  ambiguous  again. 
It  may  be,  resist  not  evil.  Cf.  Lev.  19  :  18  and  Sirach  28  :  1-7  for 
an  advance  on  the  law  of  retaliation.  Does  Jesus  forbid  the 
punishment  of  evil  doers  by  law  ?  That  hardly  seems  possible  in 
view  of  the  whole  context  and  his  teachings  elsewhere.  What  he 
does  condemn  is  personal  vengeance.  The  law  of  retaliation  was 
a  restriction  on  that.  Jesus  makes  a  still  further  restriction.  He 
prohibits  the  appeal  to  law  merely  for  revenge.  Here  again  the 
startling  advance  of  Jesus  must  be  interpreted  in  the  light  of  his 
conduct.  He  himself  protested  against  personal  insult  (Jn.  18  :23) 
though  he  did  not  give  a  blow  in  return.  The  example  in  this 
verse  (personal  assault)  is  one  of  five  given  by  Jesus  to  illustrate 
his  advance  over  the  law  of  retaliation.  The  others  are  litigation 
(40),  exactions  (41),  begging  (42),  and  borrowing  (42).  The  other 
also.  In  the  matter  of  personal  violence  Jesus  suggests  meek  sub- 
mission as  the  way  to  win  the  victory.  It  takes  two  to  make  a 
quarrel.  Non-resistance  (and  in  particular,  not  replying  in  anger) 
is  often  more  effective  than  counter-blows.  The  language  is 
figurative,  but  emphatic.  Jesus  did  not  himself  turn  the  other 
cheek  to  the  officer  (Jn.  18  :  22  f.)  who  struck  him  nor  did  he  strike 
back.  He  made  a  dignified  protest.  Certainly  Christ  is  not 
here  advocating  the  absence  of  government  (anarchy).  War 
would  usually  be  avoided  if  men  were  not  so  quick  to  resist  im- 
aginary wrongs. 

40.  Thy  cloke  also.  A  suit  at  law.  Better  let  him  have  the 
costly  outer  garment  also.  One  will  save  his  temper,  save  the 
lawyer's  fee,  and  perhaps  shame  the  aggressor  in  the  suit. 


MATTHEW 


41.  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloke  also.    And  whosoever  R 
shall  compel  thee  to  go  one  mile,  go  with  him  twain. 

42.  Give  to  him  that  asketh  thee,  and  from  him  that  would  Q 
borrow  of  thee  turn  not  thou  away. 

43.  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  R 

44.  neighbour,  and  hate  thine  enemy :  but  I  say  unto  you,   Q 
Love  your  enemies,  and  pray  for  them  that  persecute 

41.  Compel  thee.  Impress  as  soldiers  do  (Mk.  15:21,  the 
case  of  Simon  of  Cyrene).  Public  officers  are  sometimes  arrogant 
and  exacting  (cf.  Lk.  3  :  13  f.).  Go  with  him  twain.  Heap  coals 
of  fire  on  his  head  by  going  the  second  mile !  Both  of  these  ad- 
monitions emphasize  Jesus'  hostility  to  hostilities.  Love,  not  the 
search  for  rights,  is  the  center  of  his  ethics. 

42.  Give.  Beggars  were  very  numerous  in  Palestine.  They 
were  used  to  being  refused.  Jesus  urges  almsgiving,  not  as  a 
means  of  salvation,  but  as  proof  of  love  for  men.  The  organiza- 
tion of  boards  of  charity  in  our  cities  for  the  proper  relief  of  the 
paupers  is  not  out  of  harmony  with  this  command  of  Jesus.  It  is 
a  mere  detail.  Only  we  must  not  let  the  springs  of  charity  dry 
up  in  us  because  of  the  difficulties  in  the  matter.  Borrow.  If  the 
beggar  is  a  nuisance,  what  about  the  professional  borrower  who 
never  intends  to  pay  or  at  least  never  does  pay?  This  is  perhaps 
the  hardest  case  of  all  for  the  modern  Christian  conscience.  Per- 
haps both  extremes  are  to  be  avoided.  There  are  worthy  bor- 
rowers. Is  it  not  sometimes  a  wrong  to  one's  own  family  to  lend 
indiscriminately?  Jesus  makes  no  distinction  for  us.  The  Jews 
were  forbidden  to  charge  interest  (Ex.  22  :  15 ;  Deut.  23  :  19),  but 
it  was  done  in  the  time  of  Christ  (Lk.  19 :  23). 

43.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour.  The  fifth  illustration. 
This  clause  is  from  Lev.  19:  16.  Cf.  Lk.  6  :  27-36.  This  is  a  sum- 
mary for  the  second  table  of  the  law  and  is  frequently  referred 
to  by  Jesus  as  the  accepted  teaching  of  the  Jews.  Love  of  God 
and  man  constituted  in  brief  the  whole  of  the  law  and  the  proph- 
ets (Matt.  22  :  35-40).  And  hate  thine  enemy.  An  addition  of 
the  scribes.  Cf .  Secrets  of  Enoch  50 :  4,  "  when  you  might  have 
vengeance,  do  not  repay  either  your  neighbour  or  your  enemy." 
Jesus  here  controverts  the  current  teaching  that  really  opposed 
the  Old  Testament. 

44.  Love  your  enemies.  As  the  Old  Testament  teaches.  Cf. 
Ex.  23:4,  5;  Job  31:  29;  Prov.  17:5;  24:29;  Ps.  7:4,  s;  35: 
12-15.      Cf.   Paul  in   Rom.    12:19-21.     Jesus  argues   a  better 

103 


MATTHEW 


45.  you;  that  ye  may  be  sons  of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven :  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and 
the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  the  unjust. 

46.  For  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  have 

47.  ye  ?  do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same  ?  And  if  ye 
salute   your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than 

.    48.   others?    do  not  even  the    Gentiles    the    same?    Ye 

therefore  shall  be  perfect,  as  your  heavenly  Father  is 

perfect. 
R     6.      Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  your  righteousness  before 

men,  to  be  seen  of  them :  else  ye  have  no  reward  with 

your  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

application  of  this  teaching.  Pray  for  them  that  persecute  you. 
Cf.  the  Beatitudes  (5:  10-12)  and  Christ's  own  conduct  on  the 
cross  (Lk.  23  :  34).  The  text  in  Luke  is  disputed,  but  is  probably 
genuine. 

45.  Sons  of  your  Father.  Be  like  your  Father.  God  loves 
those  who  do  not  love  him. 

46.  Even  the  publicans.  An  extreme  example  that  was  very 
pertinent. 

47.  Even  the  Gentiles.  And  Jews  claimed  great  superiority 
over  Gentiles. 

48.  Shall  be  perfect.  This  is  the  ideal,  the  perfection  of  love 
(Cf.  Lk.  6:  36).  As  your  heavenly  Father.  He  is  the  standard, 
not  the  teaching  of  the  scribes,  nor  indeed  that  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  Word  of  God  is  less  than  God  himself  and  is  merely  a 
means  to  bring  men  up  to  the  fulness  of  God's  goodness.  There 
is  here  no  flippant  professional  perfection.  The  righteousness 
demanded  by  Jesus  finds  its  ultimate  ground  in  God  who  is  love. 

{h)  The  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  is_  more  spiritual  and 
inward  and  less  ostentatious  than  the  practice  of  the  Pharisees, 
6:1-18. 

I.  Take  heed.  The  warning  is  now  against  the  conduct  of  the 
Pharisees.  It  is  a  real  peril.  Do  not.  This  word  is  not  infre- 
quent with  righteousness.  Cf.  Ps.  106:3;  2  Sam.  8:  15;  i  Jn. 
2:29.  Righteousness.  The  correct  text  instead  of  "alms.'* 
Cf.  5  :  20.  Jesus  has  discussed  the  theory  of  righteousness  in  con- 
trast with  that  of  the  scribes.  He  now  turns  to  the  practice  of 
righteousness  in  contrast  with  that  of  the  Pharisees.  There  are 
three  examples  of  their  conduct,  viz.,  alms  (2-4),  prayer  (5-15), 

104 


MATTHEW 


2.  When  therefore  thou  doest  alms,  sound  not  a  trum- 
pet before  thee,  as  the  hypocrites  do  in  the  synagogues 
and  in  the  streets,  that  they  may  have  glory  of  men. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  They  have  received  their  reward. 

3.  But  when  thou  doest  alms,  let  not  thy  left  hand  know 

4.  what  thy  right  hand  doeth :  that  thine  alms  may  be  in 
secret:  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret  shall 
recompense  thee. 


fasting  (16-18).  To  be  seen  of  men.  This  is  the  dominant  mo- 
tive with  the  Pharisees  in  all  their  good  works.  They  care  more 
for  the  favor  of  men  than  for  the  favor  of  God.  Else  ye  have  no 
reward.  The  Pharisaic  motive  vitiates  the  act  with  God  and  it 
has  no  reward. 

2.  Alms.  The  first  of  the  examples.  The  Jews  held  that  alms- 
giving made  atonement  for  sins,  Cf.  Tobit  4:7;  12  :  8;  Sirach 
3  :  14;  4:3;  7  :  10;  29  :  II  f.  Jesus  does  not  mean  to  approve 
this  doctrine.  He  simply  assumes  that  they  will  do  alms  (cf. 
Matt.  5  :  42).  Sound  not  a  trumpet.  No  actual  examples  known. 
Figurative  like  our  "  blows  his  own  trumpet."  The  hypocrites. 
The  Pharisees  are  meant,  though  their  names  are  not  here  called. 
Cf.  5:  20;  15:  7;  22:  18;  23  throughout.  The  Pharisees  posed 
as  paragons  of  virtue  in  all  matters  of  righteousness.  Jesus 
bluntly  calls  them  hypocrites.  The  Greek  word  means  one  who 
merely  acts  a  part  under  a  mask.  The  indictment  is  severe  and 
Jesus  proceeds  to  justify  it.  Each  time  he  calls  them  hypocrites. 
In  the  synagogues  and  in  the  streets.  Because  of  the  crowds 
there.  Have  glory  of  men.  Religious  work  is  exposed  in  a  pe- 
culiar way  to  love  of  notoriety  and  praise,  all  the  more  so  now  in 
the  day  of  newspapers.  Have  received  their  reward.  Praise  of 
men  is  all  that  they  will  get.  They  are  paid  in  full.  God  has  no 
rewards  for  them.  This  comment  is  made  about  their  prayer 
and  their  fasting  also. 

3.  Let  not  thy  left  hand.  A  bold  image  to  impress  sincerity. 
Some  giving  has  to  be  known.  We  need  more  large  givers  to 
public  causes.  But  what  Jesus  means  is  that  giving  should  not 
be  just  for  the  purpose  of  notoriety. 

4.  The  gift  is  the  real  good,  not  the  credit.  God  sees  in  secret 
as  well  as  in  public.  Recompense  thee.  There  is  no  danger  of 
being  overlooked  by  God.  The  word  "  openly  "  does  not  belong 
to  the  early  text.  It  is  not  essential  that  the  reward  be  openly 
bestowed.     The  reward  is  largely  subjective,  the  consciousness  of 

los 


MATTHEW 


5.  And  when  ye  pray,  ye  shall  not  be  as  the  hypocrites : 
for  they  love  to  stand  and  pray  in  the  synagogues  and 
in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  that  they  may  be  seen  of 
men.    Verily  I  say  unto  you,  They  have  received  their 

6.  reward.  But  thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into 
thine  inner  chamber,  and  having  shut  thy  door,  pray 
to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret,  and  thy  Father  which 

7.  seeth  in  secret  shall  recompense  thee.  And  in  praying 
use  not  vain  repetitions,  as  the  Gentiles  do :  for  they 
think  that  they  shall  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking. 

8.  Be  not  therefore  like  unto  them:  for  your  Father 
knoweth  what  things  ye  have  need  of,  before  ye  ask 

doing  a  needed  and  worthy  thing  and  of  pleasing  our  heavenly 
Father.  This  is  not  all,  but  it  is  enough.  It  is  right  to  do  right 
apart  from  any  motive  of  reward.  Salvation  does  not  come  as  a 
reward,  but  the  one  who  does  right  receives  a  reward  both  here 
and  hereafter.     Virtue  is  its  own  reward,  but  it  also  brings  reward. 

5.  Pray.  The  second  example.  The  things  which  the  Phari- 
sees abuse  are  all  three  noble  exercises  in  themselves.  The 
hypocrites.  The  Pharisees.  Love  to  stand  and  pray.  A  long 
time  and  in  public  places.  The  corners  of  the  streets  were  ex- 
cellent, for  they  could  be  seen  in  four  directions.  Seen  of  men. 
This  is  their  motive  in  prayer,  as  in  almsgiving.  They  have  re- 
ceived.    All  that  they  will  get. 

6.  Shut  thy  door.  To  keep  others  out.  For  a  picture  of  a 
Pharisee  at  prayer  read  Lk.  18:9-12.  Recompense  thee.  All 
that  you  need  and  more  than  you  are  entitled  to.  Our  good  deeds 
do  not  deserve  reward  as  a  due  from  God. 

7.  Vain  repetitions.  One  is  reminded  of  the  Mohammedans 
who  repeat  "  Allah  "  by  the  hour.  The  Buddhists  have  prayer 
wheels.  Cf.  also  the  rosary.  So  in  i  Kgs.  18  :  26  the  worshippers 
of  Baal  called  all  day.  Cf.  also  Acts  19  :  34-  But  the  point  with 
the  Pharisees  was  not  to  gain  the  ear  of  God,  but  the  eye  of  men. 
The  Gentiles  do.  It  was  and  is  the  custom  of  the  heathen,  as  just 
stated.  Much  speaking.  Long  prayers  are  condemned  in  Eccl. 
5 :  2  and  Sirach  7 :  14.  The  Pharisees  had  become  like  the 
heathen. 

8.  Before  ye  ask  him.  God  does  not  need  mere  information. 
He  has  that.  What  he  loves  in  prayer  is  the  worshipful  attitude, 
the  sense  of  dependence  and  gratitude,  love  and  trust. 

106 


MATTHEW 


9.   him.     After   this   manner   therefore   pray   ye:    Our  Q 

Father  which  art  in  heaven,  Hallowed  be  thy  name,  R 

10.  Thy  kingdom  come.    Thy  will  be  done,  as  in  heaven, 

11,  12.  so  on  earth.    Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.   And  Q 


9.  After  this  maimer.  As  follows  and  in  contrast  with  the 
vain  and  ostentatious  manner  of  the  hypocrites.  Pray  ye.  This 
is  a  model  prayer,  commonly  called  the  Lord's  Prayer  because 
given  by  him.  The  real  Lord's  Prayer  in  a  deeper  sense  is  found 
in  Jn.  17.  Jesus  did  not  follow  this  form  as  a  ritual,  though  he 
repeated  it  on  a  later  occasion  in  practically  the  same  words 
(Lk.  11:  2-4).  The  variation  shows  that  it  was  not  designated 
as  a  mere  form  of  words.  It  is  a  general  plan  which  suits  all 
prayer.  There  are  two  parts  in  it,  like  the  two  tables  of  the  Ten 
Commandments.  The  first  part  relates  to  God  (9b,  10),  the 
second  part  to  man  (ij:-I3).  There  are  three  petitions  in  each 
of  the  two  divisions.  The  distinctive  thing  about  this  model 
prayer  is  not  the  originality  of  words  or  phrases  as  much  as  its 
simplicity,  universality,  comprehensiveness,  and  reality.  It  is 
not  astonishing  that  in  Luke  the  disciples  request  Jesus  to  teach 
them  how  to  pray.  They  forget  to  practise  much  that  they 
know.  Our  Father.  These  two  words  represent  the  beginning 
of  all  true  prayer.  Jesus  was  speaking  to  Gentiles  as  well  as 
Jews  on  this  occasion  (Lk.  6:17).  In  one  sense  God  is  the  Father 
of  all  men,  but  those  who  approach  God  in  prayer  can  and  should 
say  "  Abba,  Father  "  (Rom.  8  :  15).  The  Fatherhood  of  God  is  in 
the  Old  Testament,  is  prominent  in  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  but 
it  is  Jesus  who  has  made  it  a  part  of  the  consciousness  of  mankind. 
He  came  to  reveal  the  Father  to  men  (Jn.  i :  18).  Hallowed  be 
thy  name.  The  first  request.  God  first  and  God  worshipped. 
Else  there  is  no  prayer,  no  religion.     "  Name  "  represents  God. 

10.  Thy  kingdom  come.  This  is  the  work  of  Jesus  and  should 
be  the  main  business  of  the  Christian.  It  is  what  God  cares  most 
about.  It  has  already  come  in  part,  but  it  is  always  coming  more. 
It  will  some  day  be  fully  come.  Thy  will  be  done.  The  reign 
of  God  in  the  heart  involves  obedience  to  God  in  life.  God's  will 
is  highest  law,  the  real  summtim  honum.  As  in  heaven.  Where 
God's  will  meets  no  resistance.  So  on  earth.  That  will  bring 
heaven  to  earth.  Heaven  here  on  earth  is  the  ambition  of  Jesus. 
This  is  his  social  programme.  It  is  only  possible  when  God  rules  in 
every  heart  as  he  does  in  heaven.     Then  it  becomes  a  reality. 

11.  This  day.  The  second  part  of  the  prayer.  Our  daily 
bread.  Prayer  for  food  is  urged,  real  dependence  on  God,  but 
not  to  the  neglect  of  work.     Prayer  for  the  coming  of  the  King- 

107 


MATTHEW 


forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  also  have  forgiven  our 

13.  debtors.     And  bring  us  not  into  temptation,  but  de- 

14.  liver  us  from  the  evil  one.  For  if  ye  forgive  men  their 
trespasses,  your  heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  you. 

15.  But  if  ye  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will 
your  Father  forgive  your  trespasses. 

16.  Moreover  when  ye  fast,  be  not,  as  the  hypocrites, 
of  a  sad  countenance :  for  they  disfigure  their  faces, 
that  they  may  be  seen  of  men  to  fast.    Verily  I  say 


dom  does  not  mean  abstinence  from  work  for  that  end.  In  one 
sense  we  answer  our  own  prayers.  There  are  three  petitions  here 
also.     This  is  the  first. 

12.  Our  debts.  The  second  request  in  this  part  of  the  prayer. 
In  Lk.  11:4  we  have  "  sins."  That  is  what  is  meant  here  by 
"  debts."  We  are  due  God  a  righteous  life.  Forgiveness  is  our 
plea  in  view  of  failure.  As  we  also.  It  is  an  astonishing  stand- 
ard. Jesus  assumes  that  the  man  who  asks  God  for  forgiveness 
has  already  done  that  towards  those  in  debt  to  him.  Cf .  Lk.  11:4. 
In  Matt.  18:  21-35  iiote  the  parable  about  forgiveness. 

13.  Bring  us  not  into  temptation.  Jesus  had  met  temptation 
and  knew  the  peril  to  the  soul  of  men  involved.  He  will  repeat 
this  warning  when  in  the  agony  of  Gethsemene  (Lk.  22:40). 
The  evil  one.  Or,  evil.  Probably  "  the  evil  one  "  is  correct. 
Cf.  I  Jn.  5:18.  Christ  is  conscious  of  the  power  of  the  devil. 
The  doxology  in  the  Authorized  Version  is  clearly  not  a  part  of 
the  original  text,  and  is  added  by  late  Mss.  from  some  of  the  litur- 
gies. It  is  appropriate  and  beautiful,  but  cannot  be  considered 
genuine.     It  is  absent  also  in  Luke's  account. 

14.  For.  Jesus  explains  his  remark  about  forgiveness.  Will 
also.  Not  on  that  ground  above,  but  because  that  act  will  prove 
that  one  has  put  his  heart  in  the  right  attitude  of  trust  in  God. 

15.  If  ye  forgive  not.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  an  unforgiving 
heart  can  receive  no  pardon. 

16.  Fast.  The  third  example  of  Pharisaic  righteousness. 
Jesus  does  not  condemn  fasting  if  it  is  voluntary  and  sincere.  The 
discussion  of  fasting  in  Matt.  9:  14-17  is  placed  by  Mark  (2: 
18-22)  and  Luke  (5  :  33-39)  before  the  time  of  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount.  The  hypocrites.  As  before,  the  Pharisees.  Of  a 
sad  cotintenance.  To  attract  attention.  Disfigtire  their  face. 
As  some  modern  beggars  do  their  bodies  to  excite  sympathy. 

Z08 


MATTHEW 


1 7 .  unto  you,  They  have  received  their  reward.  But  thou, 
when  thou  fastest,  anoint  thy  head,  and  wash  thy  face ; 

i8.  that  thou  be  not  seen  of  men  to  fast,  but  of  thy  Father 
which  is  in  secret:  and  thy  Father,  which  seeth  in 
secret,  shall  recompense  thee. 

19.  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  the  earth, 
where  moth  and  rust  doth  consume,  and  where  thieves 

Be  seen  of  men.     This  is  the  goal  of  life  with  a  Pharisee.     They 
have  received.     As  in  other  two  examples. 

17.  Anoint  thy  head.  Instead  of  putting  on  ashes  and  sack- 
cloth.    Conceal  your  fast. 

18.  Be  not  seen  of  men.  A  positive  disadvantage  was  it  to  be 
seen  of  men.  Recompense  thee.  As  before.  That  is  glory  enough 
for  any  man,  the  favor  of  God. 

(c)  Practical  illust-rations  of  the  righteousness  required  by 
Jesus.  6:19-7:12.  These  illustrations  are  five:  right  em- 
phasis, God's  kingdom  and  righteousness  first  (6:  19-34),  right 
spirit  in  criticism  (7  :  1-5),  reverence  for  the  holy  (7:6),  per- 
sistence in  prayer  (7:7-11),  the  golden  rule  of  social  right- 
eousness (7  :  12).  These  illustrations  do  not  have  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  always  in  mind.  Indeed,  it  is  entirely  possible  that  for 
part  of  this  discussion  Jesus  may  have  had  the  Sadducees  in  mind. 
They  were  the  ruling  aristocratic  wealthy  class.  The  Pharisees 
were  also  lovers  of  money  (Lk.  16:14)  and  so  the  point  is  not  certain. 
The  aim  of  Jesus  now  seems  to  be  positive  and  constructive.  The 
cure  for  the  ills  of  life  is  to  have  God  supreme  in  the  heart.  The 
conduct  will  square  with  creed.  Then  one  will  be  able  to  adjust 
himself  to  his  environment  and  be  happy.  The  right  attitude  to 
wealth  is  needed.  Mere  heaping  up  of  riches  may  be  as  destruc- 
tive as  the  conduct  of  the  Pharisees.  In  the  discussion  of  the  right 
emphasis  in  life  (6  :  19-34)  Jesus  uses  four  illustrations;  treasures 
on  earth  or  in  heaven  (19-21),  the  single  or  the  evil  eye  (22  f.), 
God  or  Mammon  as  master  (24),  anxiety  for  food  and  clothing 

(25-34). 

19.  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves.  The  first  alternative  is  here 
presented.  It  is  between  treasure  on  earth  and  treasure  in 
heaven.  The  paradox  is  literally  true  that  a  man  only  keeps  what 
he  gives.  What  he  keeps  he  leaves.  Moth  and  rust.  And  we 
can  now  add  the  powerful  work  of  the  bacteria  which  promote 
decay.  Change  is  written  on  the  face  of  nature.  Thieves. 
Now  as  then.     Riches  take  wings  and  fly  away. 

109 


MATTHEW 


20.  break  through  and  steal:  but  lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth 
consume,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor 

21.  steal:  for  where  thy  treasure  is,  there  will  thy  heart 

22.  be  also.  The  lamp  of  the  body  is  the  eye :  if  there- 
fore thine  eye  be  single,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full 

23.  of  light.  But  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole  body  shall 
be  full  of  darkness.     If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in 

24.  thee  be  darkness,  how  great  is  the  darkness  !  No  man 
can  serve  two  masters :  for  either  he  will  hate  the  one, 
and  love  the  other;  or  else  he  will  hold  to  one,  and 
despise  the  other.    Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon. 

25.  Therefore  I  say  unto  you.  Be  not  anxious  for  your  life, 


20.  Treasures  in  heaven.  The  only  safe  place.  There  will 
thy  heart  be  also.  What  one  loves  most  determines  what  kind  of 
a  man  he  is. 

22.  Lamp  of  the  body.  A  most  striking  picture  of  the  eye. 
Cf.  Paul's  '*  the  eyes  of  your  heart  "  (Eph.  i :  18).  Here  we  have 
the  second  alternative,  the  single  and  the  evil  eye.  Single.  The 
Jews  used  this  word  to  mean  "liberal"  (Prov.  11:  25;  2  Cor. 
8:2).  A  "  good  "  eye  was  used  for  liberality  (Prov.  22:9).  It 
was,  however,  literally  true  that  a  good  eye  was  "  single  "  in  that 
the  focus  was  one  for  both  eyes. 

23.  Evil,  So  "  evil  "  eye  was  stinginess  (Prov.  23  :  6 ;  28 :  22). 
Here  again,  however,  a  bad  eye  is  one  that  does  not  focus  with  the 
other.  A  man  with  one  fixed  on  heaven  and  the  other  on  earth 
would  be  a  literal  illustration  of  the  "  bad  "  eye.  Be  darkness. 
Dark  inside  and  the  window  shut. 

24.  Two  masters.  The  third  alternative.  For.  The  matter 
is  stated  both  ways.  God  and  mammon.  The  rival  of  God  is 
here  called  Mammon,  the  god  of  wealth.  Cf.  Lk.  16:9,  "the 
mammon  of  unrighteousness."     Cf,   i  Tim.  6:  10, 

25.  Therefore,  The  fourth  example  concerns  care  rather 
than  covetousness.  But  the  grind  of  poverty  is  closely  related 
to  the  greed  of  mammon.  One  is  the  peril  of  the  poor,  the  other 
of  the  rich.  Greed  for  mammon  also  creates  more  grinding  pov- 
erty. Jesus  urges  that  men  free  themselves  from  the  grasp  of  the 
money-god  (or  devil)  and  also  from  undue  anxiety  because  of 
the  absence  of  money.     Be  not  anxious.     The  old  translation 


MATTHEW 


what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye  shall  drink ;  nor  yet  for 
your  body,  what  ye  shall  put  on.     Is  not  the  life  more 

26.  than  the  food,  and  the  body  than  the  raiment  ?  Be- 
hold the  birds  of  the  heaven,  that  they  sow  not,  neither 
do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns ;  and  your  heavenly 
Father  feedeth  them.    Are  not  ye  of  much  more  value 

27.  than  they?    And  which  of  you  by  being  anxious  can 

28.  add  one  cubit  unto  his  stature?    And  why  are  ye 


"  take  no  thought  "  once  bore  this  idea  which  is  true  to  the  Greek. 
But  we  now  give  a  lighter  meaning  to  the  phrase.  To  "  die  of 
thought  "  once  meant  to  die  of  anxiety.  Jesus  does  not  condemn 
forethought  and  prudent  business  foresight.  He  does  discredit 
worry.  Life.  This  same  word  is  used  also  for  soul.  See  both 
senses  of  the  word  in  Matt.  16  :  25.  Here  it  is  the  natural  life  that 
is  meant.  Food  and  drink  are  necessary  to  the  continuance  of 
the  natural  life.  Jesus  does  not  deny  that.  But  undue  anxiety 
does  not  provide  these  necessities.  Body.  The  natural  life  re- 
sides in  the  body,  but  is  more  than  the  body.  There  is  a  real 
distinction,  and  modern  scientists  have  not  thrown  much  light 
on  the  real  nature  of  life.  The  body  needs  clothing,  as  Jesus 
admits.  Is  not.  Christ  does  not  condemn  care  for  the  life  and 
for  the  body.  On  the  contrary  he  exalts  the  true  life  and  the 
body  above  mere  food  and  raiment.  Anxiety  injures  the  body  and 
the  life  instead  of  being  a  help.  Cf .  Matt.  12:12,  where  Jesus  asks 
if  a  man  is  not  better  than  a  sheep. 

26.  The  birds  of  the  heaven.  Luke  (12  :  24)  says  "  ravens." 
This  beautiful  illustration  applies  to  the  sustenance  oi  life.  The 
birds  get  food.  Jesus  does  not,  of  course,  mean  for  his  illustration 
to  be  pressed  too  far.  He  is  not  advocating  reckless  indifference 
and  idleness.  Even  the  birds  have  to  work  for  their  food.  Are 
not  ye.  If  God  takes  the  birds  into  his  plans,  he  will  his  children. 
It  is  the  argument  from  the  less  to  the  greater.  Here  again  we 
must  not  put  into  the  mouth  of  Christ  what  he  does  not  expressly 
say.  He  assumes  work  and  discountenances  anxiety  and  dis- 
trust. He  by  no  means  advocates  indifference  to  oppression  and 
needless  social  inequalities,  the  problem  of  predatory  wealth  and 
of  the  unemployed.  But  the  man  in  real  straits  must  not  lose 
sight  of  God  his  Father. 

27.  Stature.  The  word  is  ambiguous.  It  is  used  for  "  stat- 
ure "  in  Lk.  19 :  3  and  for  "  age  "  in  Jn.  19 :  21 ;  Heb.  11 :  11. 
In  the  ancient  writers  it  is  more  common  for  "  age."     In  verse  26 


MATTHEW 


anxious  concerning  raiment?     Consider  the  lilies  of 
the  field,  how  they  grow;    they  toil  not,  neither  do 

29.  they  spin :  yet  I  say  unto  you,  that  even  Solomon  in 

30.  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these.  But 
if  God  doth  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which  to-day 
is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall  he  not 

31.  much  more  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith?  Be  not 
therefore  anxious,  saying.  What  shall  we  eat?  or, 
What  shall  we  drink?    or.  Wherewithal  shall  we  be 

32.  clothed?  For  after  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles 
seek ;  for  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have 

33 .  need  of  all  these  things.     But  seek  ye  first  his  kingdom, 

Jesus  has  been  discussing  the  "  life,"  and  "  age  "  would  be  the 
idea  if  he  still  has  that  point  in  mind.  In  verse  28  he  turns  to  the 
"  body,"  and  '*  stature  "  would  best  harmonize  with  that  con- 
ception. It  all  turns  on  whether  vs.  27  belongs  to  the  discussion 
of  vs.  26  or  of  vs.  28.  The  word  "  cubit  "  certainly  suits  "  stat- 
ure "  better  than  "^  age,"  though  a  cubit  added  to  one's  height 
would  be  no  little  increase.  Before  one  is  fully  grown  he  does 
grow  in  stature,  but  not  by  "  anxiety." 

28.  Why.  Jesus  rather  implies  that  they  are  anxious  about 
clothes.  Some  worry  over  the  need  of  clothes,  others  over  the 
style  of  clothes.  The  lilies  of  the  field,  Jesus  could  have  drawn 
the  same  lesson  from  many  other  flowers,  but  he  may  have  had  in 
mind  a  lily  of  dark  violet  color  (Cf.  Solomon's  Song  5  :  13)  some- 
what akin  to  the  royal  purple. 

29.  Even  Solomon.  He  is  mentioned  by  name  as  the  one  who 
made  most  display  of  his  wealth  and  splendor. 

30.  Oven.  The  dry  grass  is  still  used  in  Palestine  to  make 
fires  to  bake  bread.  Of  little  faith.  This  is  the  point  of  it  all. 
Anxiety  is  lack  of  trust  in  God. 

31.  Therefore.  The  lesson  from  the  birds  and  the  flowers  is 
applied  to  the  hearers, 

32.  The  Gentiles.  Jesus  mentions  the  contempt  of  the  Jews 
for  the  Gentiles  to  make  them  ashamed  of  themselves.  Knoweth. 
Even  when  in  need  of  food  and  raiment.  Tell  God  about  it,  work 
without  worry,  trust  your  Father's  goodness  and  care  for  you. 

33.  First,  First  things  first.  This  is  one  of  the  most  profound 
sayings  of  Jesus.  Kingdom,  The  first  thing  is  the  rule  of  God  in 
the  heart.     Cf.  the  Beatitudes  at  the  beginning  of  the  Sermon. 

112 


MATTHEW 


and  his  righteousness;   and  all  these  things  shall  be 

34.   added  unto  you.     Be  not  therefore  anxious  for  the 

morrow:    for  the  morrow  will  be  anxious  for  itself. 

Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof. 

7.       Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged.     For  with  what 

judgement  ye  judge,  ye  shall  be  judged :  and  with  what 

3.  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  unto  you.    And 

why  beholdest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's 

eye,  but  considerest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own 


Righteousness.  God's  idea  of  righteousness.  It  is  only  possible 
for  those  who  have  the  Kingdom  in  their  hearts.  All  these  things. 
They  are  important,  but  less  important.  They  will  also  come  in 
due  measure.  The  inner  life  is  put  by  Jesus  above  the  outward 
life.  Jesus  by  no  means  teaches  that  it  does  not  matter  what 
sort  of  house  or  environment  one  has.  But  the  light  of  God  in  the 
heart  will  transform  the  home  and  bring  here  and  now  the  best 
earthly  blessings.  See  the  change  in  a  converted  drunkard's  home. 
34.  For  the  morrow.  After  all  one  is  more  anxious  about  im- 
aginary ills  than  about  the  actual  ills.  For  itself.  The  real 
trouble   will   cause   anxiety   when   it   comes. 

7 :  1-5.  Here  the  second  of  the  five  illustrations  of  practical 
righteousness  is  presented,  the  right  spirit  in  criticism. 

1.  Judge  not.  Our  word  criticize  comes  from  the  Greek  word 
here  used.  As  often,  in  this  sermon  Jesus  does  not  qualify  the 
points  made.  They  are  put  sharply  to  make  an  impression.  The 
Master  does  not  mean  that  we  are  not  to  form  opinions  of  people 
nor  that  we  are  not  to  condemn  those  who  do  wrong.  Cf .  his  own 
denunciation  of  the  Pharisees  in  this  very  sermon  (6:1-18). 
What  he  evidently  condemns  is  the  habit  of  captious,  carping 
criticism.  That  ye  be  not  judged.  We  have  a  proverb  to  the 
efifect  that  people  who  live  in  glass  houses  should  not  throw  stones. 
The  aphoristic  comments  of  Jesus  in  this  chapter  have  become 
proverbs  of  the  people.  Some  of  them  were  probably  already  so. 
It  is  not  the  highest  motive  that  Jesus  appealed  to  in  the  matter, 
but  it  is  to  the  point  and  is  not  ignoble. 

2.  With  what  judgement.  The  critic  exposes  himself  and  be- 
comes a  target.  With  what  measure.  Cf .  our  proverb,  "  Hoisted 
by  his  own  petard." 

3.  The  mote.  A  small  piece  of  chafif,  a  splinter,  etc.  This 
proverb  prevails  among  Arabs  as  well  as  Jews.  The  beam.  An 
exaggeration,  of  course,  but  all  the  more  effective  from  the  orien- 

I  113 


MATTHEW 


4.  eye?  Or  how  wilt  thou  say  to  thy  brother,  Let  me 
cast  out  the  mote  out  of  thine  eye ;  and  lo,  the  beam  is 

5.  in  thine  own  eye  ?  Thou  hypocrite,  cast  out  first  the 
beam  out  of  thine  own  eye;  and  then  shalt  thou  see 
clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  out  of  thy  brother's  eye. 

6.  Give  not  that  which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs,  neither 
cast  your  pearls  before  the  swine,  lest  haply  they  tram- 
ple them  under  their  feet,  and  turn  and  rend  you. 

7.  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;   seek,  and  ye  shall 

8.  find;   knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you:   for 

tal  point  of  view.     This  proverb  is  a  parable  and  pungently  ex- 
poses censoriousness. 

4.  Let  me  cast  out.  The  officiousness  and  preposterousness 
of  the  whole  proceeding  become  grotesque.  With  the  large  stick 
in  his  own  eye  the  critic  tries  to  get  the  little  splinter  out  of  the 
brother's  eye. 

5.  Thou  h3rpocrite.  As  in  6:  1-18  we  are  reminded  of  the 
Pharisees.    The  singular  in  verses  3-5  makes  the  parable  more  vivid. 

6.  Unto  the  dogs.  The  caution  in  this  verse  is  the  supplement 
to  what  is  said  in  1-5.  It  is  a  warning  against  lack  of  discretion. 
In  opposing  censoriousness  Jesus  does  not  advocate  indiscriminate 
approval.  There  are  people  who  are  incapable  of  respect  for 
what  is  holy.  It  is  useless  to  shut  one's  eyes  to  this  fact.  For 
the  use  of  "  dogs  "  as  a  term  of  reproach  see  Matt.  15  :  26;  Phil. 
3:2;  Rev.  22  :  15.  Pearls  before  the  swine.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  think  of  two  separate  classes  because  of  "  dogs  "  and  "  swine." 
They  trample.  The  point  is  not  that  the  gospel  cannot  convict 
people,  but  that  they  will  not  let  it  save  them.  They  will  only 
hurl  into  the  mud  the  holiest  truths.  And  turn  and  rend  you. 
They  will  not  stop  at  doing  despite  to  the  message.  They  will, 
like  mad  dogs  and  wild  hogs,  rend  the  speakers. 

7:7-11.  This  section  presents  persistence  in  prayer  as  a 
practical  matter.  Christ  has  presented  the  true  spirit  and  model 
of  prayer  (6  :  5-15).  He  returns  to  this  important  matter  to  urge 
the  continued  practice  in  prayer.  Indeed,  with  most  men  prayer 
is  the  weakest  point.     Cf.  Lk.  11 :  1-13. 

7.  Ask.  Present  tense  in  the  Gk.  to  express  continued  asking. 
Earnest  prayer  is  the  only  kind  that  is  answered.  Seek.  Just 
another  turn.     Knock.     Another  figure  for  prayer. 

8.  For.     The  reason  really  repeats  in  another  form  verse  7. 

114 


MATTHEW 


every  one  that  asketh  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh 

findeth ;  and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened. 

9.   Or  what  man  is  there  of  you,  who,  if  his  son  shall  ask 

10.  him  for  a  loaf,  will  give  him  a  stone ;  or  if  he  shall  ask 

11.  for  a  fish,  will  give  him  a  serpent  ?  If  ye  then,  being 
evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
how  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven 

12.  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him?  All  things 
therefore  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do 
unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto  them:  for  this  is 
the  law  and  the  prophets. 


9.  A  loaf.  The  "  stone  "  would  look  like  a  loaf.  Cf.  the  first 
temptation  of  Jesus. 

10.  A  fish.  So  a  "  serpent  "  might  look  like  a  fish  (an  eel) 
and  make  the  disappointment  a  deception  besides. 

11.  Being  evil.  In  contrast  with  God.  In  fact,  Jesus  con- 
siders all  men  sinful.  Know  how.  As  men  do.  This  he  grants. 
How  much  more.  Argument  from  less  to  greater.  Good  things. 
No  "  stones  "  nor  "  serpents." 

12.  All  things  therefore.  This  Golden  Rule  of  social  right- 
eousness is  suggested  by  the  remarks  about  prayer,  but  it  is  a 
distinct  logion.  It  is  given  in  Lk.  6:  31.  The  negative  form  of 
this  saying  appears  in  Tobit  4:  15,  "Do  that  to  no  man  which 
thou  hatest."  It  is  found  also  in  Hillel  and  Philo,  in  Confucius 
and  Isocrates.  The  ethical  teaching  of  Jesus  here  finds  a  point 
of  contact  with  that  of  the  world's  philosophers.  Jesus  does  not 
use  the  language  of  Greek  philosophy.  He  probably  had  never 
read  their  books.  We  do  not  have  discourses  on  the  four  cardinal 
virtues,  the  highest  good,  virtue,  etc.  Christ  uses  the  language 
of  Judea,  but  he  puts  into  it  the  deepest  longings  of  the  human 
heart  of  all  lands  and  of  all  ages.  In  an  independent  manner 
Jesus  has  in  this  sermon  reached  the  acme  of  human  knowledge  in 
ethical  matters.  He  grounds  his  idea  of  righteousness  in  a  new 
heart.  ^  He  presents  God  himself  as  the  Ideal.  He  demands 
reality  in  the  spiritual  life  that  shall  find  adequate  expression  tow- 
ards our  fellow-men.  The  present  rule  sums  up  the  social  gospel 
of  righteousness.  Jesus  makes  a  distinct  contribution  to  the 
summary.  He  puts  it  in  the  positive  form.  That  is  a  great 
advance  over  the  negative.  It  is  one  thing  to  abstain  from  evil. 
It  is  another  thing  to  do  good.     Some  modern  writers  on  ethics 


MATTHEW 


13.  Enter  ye  in  by  the  narrow  gate :  for  wide  is  the  gate, 
and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and 

14.  many  be  they  that  enter  in  thereby.  For  narrow  is 
the  gate,  and  straitened  the  way,  that  leadeth  unto 
life,  and  few  be  they  that  find  it. 

R   15.       Beware  of  false  prophets,  which  come  to  you  in 


affect  ignorance  of  Jesus,  but  he  is  nevertheless  the  chief  ethical 
Teacher  of  the  world.  For  this  is.  An  evident  allusion  to  5  :  1 7.  In 
this  climax  of  the  argument  Jesus  repeats  that  his  teaching  is  the 
true  consummation  of  the  law  and  the  prophets.  Christ  does 
not  here  mention  love  to  God,  but  that  is  assumed.  He  does  not 
use  "  all,"  as  in  22  :  40.  Certainly  no  one  will  ever  try  to  practise 
this  Golden  Rule  of  life  who  does  not  first  love  God.  He  may  talk 
about  it,  but  that  is  quite  a  different  matter. 

(s)  Conclusion  of  the  Discourse,  7:  13-27 

Hortatory  parables  illustrating  the  people  in  the  kingdom  and 
those  outside:  the  two  ways  and  the  two  gates  (7:  13,  14),  the 
two  kinds  of  fruits  (7:  15-23),  the  two  foundations  (7:  24-27). 
The  Epilogue.     Cf.  Prologue  in  5  :  1-16. 

13.  Enter  ye  in.  It  is  not  clear  whether  Jesus  has  in  mind  a 
gate  at  the  beginning  of  a  long  road,  or  at  the  end  of  the  road. 
The  mention  of  gate  before  way  suggests  the  gate  at  the  beginning 
of  the  road.  By  the  narrow  gate.  If  so,  the  narrow  gate  is  con- 
version. One  at  a  time  men  are  converted.  Wide  is  the  gate. 
Per  contra  men  rush  in  crowds  through  the  gate  that  opens  into  the 
other  road.  Broad  is  the  way.  The  Two  Ways  is  a  common 
metaphor  among  the  Jews.  Cf.  Ps.  1:6;  Secrets  of  Enoch  30: 
15;  Deut.  30:19;  Jer.  21:8;  the  Epistle  of  Barnabas,  the 
Teaching  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  etc.  The  broad  way  corre- 
sponds to  the  wide  gate.  Many.  Cf.  Lk.  13  :  42,  where  Jesus  is 
asked  about  the  number  of  the  saved  and  the  lost.  Cf.  2 
Esdras  8:3. 

14.  Narrow  is  the  gate.  Repeated.  Straitened  the  way. 
Not  straight  nor  exactly  narrow.  It  is  narrow,  but  more.  The 
figure  is  rather  that  of  a  mountain  pass  with  jagged  rocks  on  the 
sides  of  the  path.  It  is  a  narrow  and  difficult  way,  not  a  wide 
and  easy  one.  Few.  In  contrast  to  the  many.  Absolutely  many 
will  be  saved,  but  apparently  more  go  the  broad  way. 

15.  False  prophets.  The  second  parable  (15-23)  is  about 
them.     Jesus  may  have  in  mind  again  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 

116 


MATTHEW 


sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  are  ravening  wolves. 
i6.   By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.     Do  7nen  gather 

17.  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?  Even  so  every 
good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit ;   but  the  corrupt 

18.  tree  bringeth  forth  evil  fruit.  A  good  tree  cannot 
bring  forth  evil  fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring 

19.  forth  good  fruit.     Every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth 

20.  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire.     There- 

21.  fore  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.  Not  every 
one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of 

22.  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Many  will  say  to  me 
in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  did  we  not  prophesy  by  thy 
name,  and  by  thy  name  cast  out  devils,  and  by  thy 


(5 :  20).  But,  if  so,  the  application  is  much  wider.  In  sheep's 
clothing.  To  deceive  the  sheep.  It  is  an  old  metaphor.  Cf. 
Ezek.  22  :  27  ;  Zeph.  2>'-  2>\  Acts  20 :  28-31.  Instance  our  "  Little 
Red  Riding  Hood." 

16.  By  their  fruits.  The  false  prophets  may  be  tested  by  their 
fruits,  like  trees.  John  the  Baptist  put  the  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
ducees  to  this  test  (Matt.  3:7).  Jesus  repeats  this  parable 
(Matt.  12:33).  So  James,  the  Lord's  brother,  repeats  it  (Jas. 
3  :  I  f .),  probably  recalling  the  words  of  the  Master.  Cf.  Gal. 
5:  22;    Lk.   6:43-45. 

18.  Cannot.  A  tree  of  one  kind  will  not  bear  fruit  of  another 
kind. 

21.  Not  every  one.  A  mere  salutation  will  not  be  enough  to 
open  the  door.  Shall  enter  the  kingdom.  Here  Jesus  seems  to 
have  in  mind  the  consummation  of  the  kingdom  in  heaven. 
Doeth  the  will  of  my  Father.  The  test  then  is  not  profession,  but 
practice.  Cf.  John  the  Baptist's  demand  for  proof  of  repentance 
(Matt.  3:8).  The  new  heart  comes  at  the  beginning  of  the  king- 
doni  (cf.  the  Beatitudes,  5  :  3-12).  The  new  character  must  be  a 
reality  at  the  comsummation  of  the  kingdom.  The  search  for 
God's  kingdom  and  rightousness  (6 :  33)  will  become  now  attain- 
ment, Cf.  likewise  Jas.  2:14-26;  Rom.  6-8;  2  Pet.  1:3-11. 
In  the  great  eschatological  discourse  Jesus  concludes  with  a  de- 
scription of  the  Judgment  scene  with  himself  as  Judge.  He 
repeats  the  demand  here  made  (Matt.  25  :  31-46). 

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MATTHEW 


23.  name  do  many  mighty  works?  And  then  will  I  pro- 
fess unto  them,  I  never  knew  you :   depart  from  me, 

24.  ye  that  work  iniquity.  Every  one  therefore  which 
heareth  these  words  of  mine,  and  doeth  them,  shall  be 
likened  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his  house  upon 

25.  the  rock :  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came, 
and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house ;  and  it 

26.  fell  not :  for  it  was  founded  upon  the  rock.  And  every 
one  that  heareth  these  words  of  mine,  and  doeth  them 
not,  shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man,  which  built 

27.  his  house  upon  the  sand :  and  the  rain  descended,  and 
the  floods  came,  and  -the  winds  blew,  and  smote  upon 
that  house ;  and  it  fell :  and  great  was  the  fall  thereof. 


23.  I  never  knew  you.  It  will  come  as  a  shock  to  those  ad- 
dressed. They  thought  themselves  the  favorites  of  heaven. 
The  hypocrites  come  under  this  category.  Depart  from  me. 
That  will  be  hell,  to  be  absent  from  Jesus.  Ye  that  know  in- 
iquity. They  still  work  it  and  are  unfit  for  heaven.  This  is  the 
reason  for  eternal  punishment.     Men  will  be  eternal  sinners. 

24.  And  doeth  tiiem.  These  words  come  with  solemn  force. 
Cf.  Jas.  1 :  19-27  for  a  picture  of  "  hearers  only,"  probably  an 
echo  again  of  the  words  of  Jesus.  A  wise  man.  Wisdom  is  a 
practical  thing.  It  differs  from  mere  knowledge,  which  may  be 
impractical.  The  third  and  last  parable  thus  drives  the  matter 
home.  Cf.  Proverbs  and  the  Wisdom  books.  Cf.  the  two  kinds 
of  wisdom  in  Jas.  3  :  13-18.  With  Jesus  wisdom  is  not  a  mere 
philosophy  (i  Cor.  i :  18-25),  but  an  intensely  practical  matter. 
So  Christ  uses  "  righteousness  "  not  as  a  matter  of  doctrine  (cf, 
Paul  in  Rom.  3  :  20-30),  but  of  actual  goodness. 

26.  Doeth  them  not.  Solemn  contrast.  A  foolish  man. 
One  may  turn  to  Proverbs  and  Sirach  for  many  remarks  on  fools. 
But  no  better  picture  of  a  fool  was  ever  drawn  than  this  one. 
And  it  fell.  One  can  hear  the  crash.  The  close  of  this  marvel- 
lous sermon  is  in  rhythmic  prose,  almost  poetry.  This  parable 
carries  its  own  application  of  the  entire  discourse.  There  is 
unity,  progress,  climax  in  the  sermon.  It  is  from  every  point  of 
view  a  consummate  address.  If  parts  of  various  addresses  of 
Jesus  are  put  together,  it  is  done  with  great  skill.  The  result  is  a 
real  unity  and  argues  for  a  single  address  by  Jesus. 

118 


MATTHEW 


28.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jesus  ended  these  words,  M 

29.  the  multitudes  were  astonished  at  his  teaching :  for  he 
taught  them  as  one  having  authority,  and  not  as  their 
scribes. 

6.  Various  Illustrations  of  the  Work  in  Galilee,  Particularly 
Miracles  J  but  not  in  Chronological  Order,  8 : 1-9 :  34 

8.        And  when  he  was  come  down  from  the  mountain,  R 

2.  great  multitudes  followed  him.     And  behold,  there  M 
came  to  him  a  leper  and  worshipped  him,  saying,  Lord, 

3.  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean.    And  he 

(6)    The  Effect  of  the  Sermon,  7 :  28,  29 

28.  Ended  these  words.  He  undoubtedly  spoke  more  than 
is  here  recorded.  But  it  was  not  probably  an  hour  in  length. 
The  multitudes.     They  had  all  listened  with  rapt  attention. 

29.  Having  authority  and  not  as  their  scribes.  The  daring 
of  Jesus  in  setting  his  own  ideas  over  against  the  current  teaching 
was  amazing.  He  spoke  as  one  who  had  the  truth  and  knew  that 
he  had  it.  He  spoke  with  the  authority  of  truth.  That  is  the 
only  authority  that  is  convincing.  The  scribes,  like  parrots, 
mechanically  repeated  what  they  had  learned  from  the  rabbis. 
They  had  no  individual  grasp  nor  insight.  They  dealt  with  the 
shell  of  truth.  They  gave  only  the  husk  to  those  who  hungered 
for  the  bread  of  life.  This  sermon  created  a  sensation  and 
marked  an  epoch  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus  and  in  the  history  of 
man. 

(i)    A   Leper,  8 :  1-4 

1.  When  he  was  come  down.  This  does  not  mean  that  the 
incident  narrated  followed  immediately.  We  could  not  distrib- 
ute with  much  clearness  these  incidents  in  Matthew,  but  for 
Mark  and  Luke.  One  needs  a  good  Harmony  of  the  Gospels  in 
order  to  study  Matthew  chronologically.  Great  multitudes. 
This  is  now  the  rule  in  the  Galilean  ministry. 

2.  A  leper.  A  very  common  and  repulsive  disease.  Prob- 
ably the  "  white  "  leprosy,  not  the  knotty  leprosy.  It  was  con- 
sidered incurable  and  hereditary  and  to  a  certain  extent  conta- 
gious or  at  least  infectious.  It  was  frequent  in  Egypt  also.  If 
thou  wilt.  He  had  heard  of  similar  cures  by  Jesus.  He  does 
not  doubt  the  power  of  Jesus  if  he  is  only  willing.     This  is  the 

119 


MATTHEW 


stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  touched  him,  saying,  I 

will;    be   thou   made   clean.     And   straightway   his 

4.     leprosy  was  cleansed.    And  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  See 


first  miracle  described  by  Matthew,  but  it  is  by  no  means  the 
first  wrought  by  Christ.  Clean.  The  leper  was  an  outcast.  He 
had  to  cry  "  unclean  "  to  all  whom  he  approached  so  that  they 
could  escape.  He  was  ceremonially  unclean.  This  man  wishes 
to  be  well  so  as  to  be  clean  again  and  able  to  move  in  social  life 
once  more  like  other  people. 

3.  Touched  him.  Jesus  is  not  afraid  of  the  disease  nor  of  the 
contamination.  The  touch  of  course  had  no  virtue  in  itself,  but 
it  was  reassuring  to  the  man.  I  will.  Jesus  is  conscious  of  power 
to  heal.  He  wrought  his  miracles  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
so  he  said  (Matt.  12  :  28).  But  he  is  not  reported  as  always  call- 
ing on  the  Spirit  of  God.  Indeed  the  power  to  heal  seemed  to  be 
natural  to  Jesus.  He  exercises  his  own  will  on  this  man  and  he  is 
clean.  Straightway.  There  was  no  chance  for  another  explana- 
tion. It  was  not  a  gradual  cure.  This  first  miracle  in  Matthew 
is  one  of  the  most  difficult  from  the  human  point  of  view.  It  was 
not  a  case  of  nervous  trouble,  but  a  repulsive  skin  disease  with 
eating  sores.  None  of  the  modern  psychological  cures  are  paral- 
lel. It  is  entirely  possible  that  many  of  the  cures  wrought  by 
Jesus  are  such  that  they  may  be  performed  now  by  those  in  pos- 
session of  special  psychic  forces.  If  so,  that  surely  does  not  dis- 
prove the  cures  of  Jesus.  It  may  render  his  more  intelligible. 
They  may  seem  in  a  sense  less  wonderful  to  us  than  to  the  people 
of  the  time  of  Jesus.  But  a  considerable  number  remain  that 
cannot  be  brought  into  any  kind  of  parallel  with  modern  theories 
or  practice.  It  is  no  more  reasonable  to  scout  them  than  it  was 
to  scout  those  that  now  seem  comprehensible.  The  wall  between 
spirit  and  matter  has  become  thin,  but  it  is  still  there.  The 
fundamental  fact  behind  the  universe  is  God.  He  is  still  behind 
it  and  in  it.  Modern  science  cannot  say  what  God  can  and  can- 
not do.  If  God  was  in  Christ,  the  cure  of  a  leper  is  not  incredi- 
ble when  God  in  Christ  said,  "  I  will."  To  be  sure  this  view  of 
the  matter  does  not  mean  that  offhand  every  miracle  that  writers 
attribute  to  Jesus  was  genuine.  It  becomes  a  matter  of  testi- 
mony. But  the  presumption  against  the  miracles  of  Jesus  is  gone. 
Indeed,  the  very  character  and  claims  of  Jesus,  coupled  with  the 
needs  of  suffering  men  all  about  Christ,  create  a  disposition  to  ac- 
cept what  is  told  of  this  nature.  There  will  be  no  need  to  make  a 
further  defence  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus  in  general. 

4.  See  thou  tell  no  man.    To  avoid  excitement.    Shew  thy- 

120 


MATTHEW 


thou  tell  no  man ;  but  go  thy  way,  shew  thyself  to  the 
priest,  and  offer  the  gift  that  Moses  commanded,  for 
a  testimony  unto  them. 

5.  And  when  he  was  entered  into  Capernaum,  there 

6.  came  unto  him  a  centurion,  beseeching  him,  and  say- 
ing, Lord,  my  servant  lieth  in  the  house  sick  of  the 

7.  palsy,  grievously  tormented.     And  he  saith  unto  him, 


self  to  the  priest.  To  obtain  a  certificate  of  purification  so  that 
the  ban  of  uncleanness  against  him  would  be  removed.  Offer 
the  gift.  According  to  the  Mosaic  rule.  Cf.  Lev.  14.  Them. 
The  priests.  They  would  thus  know  that  Jesus  was  not  hostile 
to  the  law  of  Moses. 

(2)    The  Centurion's  Servant,  8 :  5-13 

5.  Capematrai.  Luke  (7  :  i)  puts  this  incident  just  after  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount.  Came  unto  him.  In  Luke  the  centurion 
sends  two  embassies  to  Jesus.  One  was  composed  of  the  elders 
of  the  Jews  (7  :  3)  who  felt  kindly  toward  him  because  he  had 
built  a  synagogue  for  them  (7  :  5).  He  was  a  lover  of  the  Jews, 
but  not  necessarily  a  proselyte.  The  other  committee  is  merely 
called  "  friends  "  (Lk.  7:6).  Probably  Luke's  account  is  the 
actual  order  of  events  and  Matthew  has  grouped  it  all  into  a 
simpler  form.  What  one  does  through  another  he  is  responsible 
for.  Cf.  Jn.  3:22  and  4 :  i  f .  for  the  qualification  about  the  bap- 
tizing by  Jesus,  Mark  6:27  and  Matt  14 :  10  for  two  accounts  of 
the  beheading  of  John  by  Herod  Antipas,  Mk.  10:  35  and  Matt. 
20  :  20  for  the  mention  of  the  mother  of  James  and  John.  ^  Cf .  also 
Matt.  11:2  where  John  the  Baptist  "  sent  by  his  disciples  and 
said  unto  him."  Centurion.  The  Roman  centurions  are  always 
given  a  good  character  in  the  N.  T.  Cf.  Matt.  27:  54;  Acts 
10:22;  22:26;  23  :  17,  23  f.;  24:  23;  27:43.  They  were  the 
representatives  of  Roman  law  and  order  and  were  men  of  force  of 
character. 

6.  Lord.  Whether  he  means  more  than  a  term  of  respect  we 
do  not  know.  His  words  later  show  real  faith.  Cf.  Matt.  27  :  54 
for  a  similar  ambiguity.  Servant.  The  Greek  means  either  son 
or  servant,  but  the  word  in  Lk.  7 :  2  is  only  servant  (or  slave). 
Palsy.  A  difficult  disease  to  cure  even  though  more  or  less  a  ner- 
vous trouble.  Grievously  tormented.  It  was  a  chronic  case,  bed- 
ridden. 

7.  I  will  come.     According  to  Luke  (7  :  6)  Jesus  started  with 

121 


MATTHEW 


8.  I  will  come  and  heal  him.  And  the  centurion  answered 
and  said,  Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldest 
come  under  my  roof :  but  only  say  the  word,  and  my 

9.  servant  shall  be  healed.  For  I  also  am  a  man  under 
authority,  having  under  myself  soldiers:  and  I  say 
to  this  one.  Go,  and  he  goeth ;  and  to  another.  Come, 
and  he  cometh ;  and  to  my  servant,  Do  this,  and  he 

10.  doeth  it.    And  when  Jesus  heard  it,  he  marvelled,  and 
said  to  them  that  followed.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I 

11.  have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel.    And 


the  committee  of  Jews  and  was  met  by  the  "  friends  "  of  the  cen- 
turion with  a  protest  against  his  taking  so  much  trouble  as  to 
come  himself. 

8.  Not  worthy.  The  centurion  knew  the  prejudices  of  Jews 
about  entering  a  Gentile's  house  (cf.  Acts  10:  28).  He  politely 
respects  them.  Say  the  word.  Speak  with  a  word,  suggesting 
healing  by  a  word.  He  may  have  himself  witnessed  some  of  the 
cures  of  Jesus  and  had  absolute  faith  in  his  power  to  heal. 

9.  A  man  under  authority.  A  subordinate  officer  who  knew 
how  to  take  orders.  Having  under  myself  soldiers.  An  officer 
who  gave  orders.  He  knew  as  a  centurion  (leader  of  a  hundred) 
both  sides  of  military  obedience  (discipline).  In  military  life  per- 
sonal presence  is  not  essential.     The  word  is  enough. 

10.  Marvelled.  Jesus  grew  in  wisdom  as  in  stature  (Lk.  2:52). 
He  confessed  his  ignorance  of  the  time  of  the  end  of  the  world 
(Matt.  24:  36).  There  are  numerous  signs  of  some  kind  of  limi- 
tation of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  while  on  earth.  But  he  knew  far 
more  than  other  men.  Limitation  of  knowledge  seems  inevi- 
table to  a  real  humanity.  But  such  necessary  limitation  of  knowl- 
edge by  no  means  involves  error  on  the  part  of  Jesus.  When  he 
did  speak  he  spoke  from  knowledge.  The  matter  is  an  unsolved 
problem  in  truth,  but  no  more  so  than  the  larger  problem  of  the 
union  of  the  divine  and  human  in  the  one  person  of  Jesus.  It  was 
real  wonder  on  the  part  of  Jesus,  the  surprise  at  finding  what  he 
did.  So  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel.  Nowhere,  not  even  in 
Israel.  He  ought  to  have  found  greater  faith  among  the  Jews, 
but  it  had  not  been  so.  Indeed,  the  day  will  come  when  Jesus 
will  marvel  at  the  unbelief  in  Israel  (Mk.  6:6).  Another  in- 
stance of  great  faith  on  the  part  of  a  heathen  is  that  of  the  Syro- 
Phoenician  woman  (Mk.  15 :  28). 


MATTHEW 


I  say  unto  you,  that  many  shall  come  from  the  east 
and  the  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and 

12.  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven:  but  the 
sons  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast  forth  into  the  outer 
darkness :  there  shall  be  the  weeping  and  gnashing  of 

13.  teeth.    And  Jesus  said  unto  the  centurion,  Go  thy  R 
way ;   as  thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done  unto  thee. 
And  the  servant  was  healed  in  that  hour. 

14.  And  when  Jesus  was  come  into  Peter's  house,  he  M 

11.  From  the  east  and  the  west.  Luke  gives  this  logion  else- 
where (13  :  28-30)  and  adds  "  from  the  north  and  the  south." 
Jesus  undoubtedly  taught  that  Gentiles  would  come  into  the 
kingdom.  That  idea  is  not  a  mere  Pauline  contribution  to 
Christianity.  But  Christ  does  not  say  that  these  Gentiles  will 
come  without  his  help.  Sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and 
Jacob.  The  spiritual  forebears  of  the  kingdom  from  the  Jewish 
standpoint.  The  Gentiles  will  sit  (rechne)  also  at  that  feast. 
Cf.  Paul's  doctrine  of  a  spiritual  Israel  including  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  (Rom.  2  :  28  f.).  The  metaphor  of  a  meal  is  a  common  one 
for  the  joy  of  the  kingdom  (cf.  Lk.  22  :  16).  The  metaphor  is  not 
to  be  taken  literally.  It  is  the  future  aspect  of  the  kingdom  that 
Jesus  has  in  mind.  In  the  kmgdom  of  heaven.  In  its  consum- 
mation, but  it  is  true,  as  we  know,  in  its  progress  here  and  now. 

12.  The  sons  of  the  kingdom.  Those  who,  as  the  descendants 
of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  ought  to  have  become  real,  as  well 
as  nominal,  members  of  the  kingdom.  The  outer  darkness. 
One  of  the  most  awful  descriptions  of  hell.  God  is  light.  For 
the  penalty  of  the  merely  nominal  Israel  (church  members  in  mod- 
ern phrase)  see  Rom.  11 :  11-32.     There.     Out  there  in  the  dark. 

13.  Go  thy  way.  Jesus  stopped  and  let  the  centurion  have  his 
way.  In  that  hour.  The  time  was  noted.  Jesus  did  not  himself 
come  into  the  house,  but  the  cure  was  effected. 

(3)  Peter's  Mother-in-law  and  other  Examples  of  Healing, 
8: 14-17 

14.  When.  Mark  (i :  29-34)  and  Luke  (4:  38-41)  both  place 
this  miracle  before  the  time  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  as  it 
probably  was.  Peter's  house.  In  Capernaum.  Peter  was  ap- 
parently not  an  extremely  poor  man,  though  not  a  man  of  great 
wealth.  But  cf.  Matt.  19:27.  Some  tWnk  that  Jesus  made 
Peter's  house  his  home  in  Capernaum,  others  that  he  had  there 

123 


MATTHEW 


15.  saw  his  wife's  mother  lying  sick  of  a  fever.  And  he 
touched  her  hand,  and  the  fever  left  her;    and  she 

16.  arose,  and  ministered  unto  him.  And  when  even  was 
come,  they  brought  unto  him  many  possessed  with 
devils :   and  he  cast  out  the  spirits  with  a  word,  and 

a  house  of  his  own  (Mk.  1:2).  His  wife's  mother.  Peter's  wife 
seemed  to  have  lived  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  long  as  he  did  (i  Cor. 
9  :  5)  and  in  his  apostolic  work  accompanied  him.  Here  in  Caper- 
naum his  mother-in-law  lived  with  him.  There  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  he  was  the  only  Apostle  who  was  married.  Sick  of 
a  fever.  Another  representative  disease  (leprosy,  palsy,  fever). 
What  kind  of  fever  is  not  made  clear. 

15.  Touched  her  hand*.  That  of  itself  was  soothing.  One 
need  not  deny  the  reality  of  magnetic  power  in  some  persons. 
But  that  of  itself,  if  a  fact,  cannot  explain  the  healing  here.  The 
cure  was  immediate.  One  need  not  deny,  however,  that  Jesus 
made  use  of  forces  in  nature  unknown  then  and  but  dimly  known 
now.     His  work  would  be  none  the  less  divine. 

16.  When  even  was  come.  A  sunset  scene  at  the  door  of  the 
house  (Mk.  i :  33).  Jesus  had  cured  the  demoniac  in  the  syna- 
gogue before  going  to  Peter's  house  on  that  Sabbath  (Mk.  1:21- 
28).  The  news  had  spread  all  over  Capernaum.  Now  the  whole 
city  is  gathered.  Possessed  with  devils.  Demons.  The  reahty 
of  demoniacal  possession  is  challenged  in  modern  times  on  the 
ground  of  scientific  impossibiUty  and  also  that  of  historical  im- 
probability. The  first  objection  has  little  force.  It  is  not  in- 
herently impossible  for  one  spirit  to  influence  another.  Instance 
hypnotism  (a  real  specimen  of  possession)  and  telepathy  (an 
obscure  matter).  If  this  influence  is  possible  between  human 
spirits,  why  not  between  those  here  and  those  in  the  spiritual 
world?  If  the  Spirit  of  God  can  influence  man's  spirit,  why  not 
the  spirits  of  evil?  The  existence  of  the  devil  and  of  demons 
cannot  be  brushed  aside  without  investigation.  Evil  is  a  fact. 
Whence  did  it  come?  A  personal  devil  does  not  relieve  the 
problem  of  all  difficulty,  but  the  difficulty  is  greatly  increased  if 
no  devil  exists.  The  possession  of  demons  is  attested  in  China 
to-day  by  various  missionaries.  In  all  our  cities  are  men  and 
women  apparently  hopelessly  in  the  power  of  evil  (degenerates). 
The  ancients  seemed  to  have  applied  the  term  to  cases  which 
would  to-day  have  a  more  scientific  definition  like  epilepsy  and 
insanity.  And  yet  these  diseases  are  sometimes  distinguished 
from  demon  possession.  Certainly  the  expression  is  not  a  blanket 
one  for  sickness.     There  are  many  difficulties  on  both  sides  of 

124 


MATTHEW 


17.  healed  all  that  were  sick:   that  it  might  be  fulfilled  R 
which  was  spoken  by  Isaiah  the  prophet,  saying,  Him-  isa. 
self  took  our  infirmities,  and  bare  our  diseases. 

18.  Now  when  Jesus  saw  great  multitudes  about  him,  M 
he  gave  commandment  to  depart  unto  the  other  side. 

19.  And  there  came  a  scribe,  and  said  unto  him.  Master,  Q 

20.  I  will  follow  thee  withersoever  thou  goest.    And  Jesus 
saith  unto  him.  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds 


the  question,  but,  on  the  whole,  little  is  gained  from  a  scientific 
standpoint  by  the  denial  of  the  reahty  of  demon  possession. 
Certainly  Christ  is  represented  as  consciously  casting  out  demons, 
not  merely  acting  a  part  or  accommodating  himself  to  human 
frailty.  There  is  a  connection  between  sin  and  disease.  The 
chief  difficulty  in  the  whole  matter  is  that  of  a  personal  devil.  If 
he  is  a  reality,  the  matter  of  spirits  of  evil  who  are  his  agents  is  a 
secondary  affair.  Healed  all  that  were  sick.  Not  mefely  the 
demoniacs,  but  many  others  "  sick  with  divers  diseases  "  (Mk. 
1:34).     Note  that  here  demoniacs  are  put  in  a  class  by  themselves. 

17.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled.  Matthew's  usual  formula  for 
design  in  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy.  By  Isaiah  the  prophet. 
From  Isa.  53  :  4.  Apparently  his  own  translation  from  the  He- 
brew. The  whole  passage  is  Messianic,  concerning  the  Servant 
of  Jehovah.  Jesus  removed  the  suffering  when  he  healed  the 
disease.  Perhaps  the  Evangelist  means  that  the  sympathy  of 
Jesus  with  the  sufferer  whom  he  healed  was  so  keen  that  in  a  sense 
Christ  took  the  suffering  to  himself.  So  Jesus  felt  power  go  forth 
when  he  healed  (Mk.  5  :  30).  Cf.  Lk.  5:17,  "  the  power  of  the 
Lord  was  with  him  to  heal."  To  a  certain  extent  this  drain  is 
true  of  the  real  physician  now. 

(4)    Two  Would-be  Believers,  8:18-22 

18.  To  depart.  Mark  (4:35)  has  a  different  context,  just 
after  the  group  of  parables. 

19.  Scribe.  An  unusual  convert,  though  some  of  the  Phari- 
sees showed  courtesies  to  Jesus,  had  him  to  dine,  etc.  But  he  is 
superficial  like  those  other  Pharisees  whose  professions  did  not 
stand  the  test  (Jn.  8  :  30  f.).  Master.  Teacher,  a  term  of  respect. 
The  scribe  was  evidently  impressed  by  Jesus.  I  will  follow  thee. 
A  voluntary  offer,  but  on  mere  impulse,  as  Jesus  saw. 

20.  The  foxes  have  holes.  Luke  (9:57-62)  gives  this  in- 
cident at  the  close  of  the  six  months  of  retirement  from  Galilee. 

"5 


MATTHEW 


of  the  heaven  have  nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not 

21.  where  to  lay  his  head.    And  another  of  the  disciples 
said  iinto  him,  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to  go  and  bury  my 

22.  father.     But  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Follow  me;  and 
leave  the  dead  to  bury  their  own  dead. 

23.  And  when  he  was  entered  into  a  boat,  his  disciples 

Capernaum  was  no  longer  his  home.  He  had  been  in  practical 
retirement  from  Galilee  for  six  months.  Jesus  presents  the  hard 
facts  that  following  him  involved  in  order  to  test  his  sincerity. 
He  was  too  superficial.  The  foxes  and  the  birds  are  better  off 
than  the  Son  of  man,  who  is  now  more  hunted  than  the  wild 
beasts.  The  Son  of  man.  This  is  the  first  time  that  the  phrase 
occurs  in  Matthew.  It  is  Christ's  favorite  designation  for  himself. 
If  Luke's  order  is  correct,  Jesus  had  been  using  it  a  great  deal  by 
this  time.  It  has  a  veiled  Messianic  content  and  fell  in  with  the 
plan  of  Jesus  not  to  make  public  and  specific  claim  to  the  Mes- 
siah till  he  was  ready  for  the  crisis  (cf.  Matt.  26  :  63  f.).  But  the 
phrase  fundamentally  accented  the  humanity  of  Jesus  as  the  rep- 
resentative and  ideal  man.  In  the  present  context  it  sinks  to  the 
level  of  the  merely  human  in  contrast  with  wild  animals.  As  the 
hunted  Son  of  man,  he  is  not  so  well  off  as  the  foxes  and  the  birds 
(also  hunted). 

21.  Another.  A  different  kind  also,  the  word  means.  The 
scribe  was  too  forward  and  flippant.  This  man  is  too  shy  and 
cautious.  Disciples.  Already  there  are  nominal  disciples,  but 
wishing  to  put  off  actual  service.  First  to  go.  He  did  not  seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God.  Bury  my  father.  What  is  probably 
meant  was  to  go  and  stay  with  his  father  till  he  died  so  that  he 
could  bury  him.  See  the  Book  of  Tobit  for  numerous  instances 
of  the  phrase.  It  is  hardly  probable  that  his  father  was  already 
dead. 

22.  Follow  me.  This  is  the  primary  duty.  In  10:37  Jesus 
puts  service  to  himself  above  that  to  father  and  mother.  A 
powerful  claim  to  deity.  Leave  the  dead  to  bury  their  own  dead. 
When  his  father  does  die  there  will  be  plenty  of  those  spiritually 
dead  to  perform  the  solemn  rites.  Service  to  Christ  cannot  wait 
on  future  contingencies  even  of  so  sacred  a  nature.  It  is  a  present 
call  to  present  duty. 

(5)    The  Storm  at  Sea,  8:  23-27 

23.  When.  It  was  at  the  close  of  the  busy  day  which  in  Mark 
runs  from  3 :  19  to  4:  41.     Mark  says  "  on  that  day  when  even 

X26 


MATTHEW 


24.  followed  him.  And  behold,  there  arose  a  great  tem- 
pest in  the  sea,  insomuch  that  the  boat  was  covered 

25.  with  the  waves :  but  he  was  asleep.    And  they  came 

26.  to  him,  and  awoke  him,  saying.  Save,  Lord ;  we  perish. 
And  he  saith  unto  them.  Why  are  ye  fearful,  O  ye  of 
little  faith?    Then  he  arose,  and  rebuked  the  winds 

27.  and  the  sea;  and  there  was  a  great  calm.  And  the 
men  marvelled,  saying.  What  manner  of  man  is  this, 
that  even  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  him? 


was  come  "  (4 :  35).  A  boat.  Mk.  (4 :  36)  "  in  the  boat,"  "  even 
as  he  was."  He  was  very  tired  (cf.  Jn.  4 :  6)  from  the  hard  day's 
toil. 

24.  Arose.  So  Mark  has  "  ariseth  "  (4:  37),  but  Luke  gives 
more  exactly  "  came  down  "  (8 :  23)  through  the  gorge.  The 
lake  was  692  feet  below  the  level  of  the  Mediterranean.  The 
squalls  beat  down  suddenly  and  with  vehemence.  Asleep.  Fell 
asleep.  The  only  time  that  attention  is  called  to  the  sleep  of 
Jesus.  Mark  (4 :  38)  adds  that  he  was  "  on  the  cushion,"  "  in 
the  stern  "  of  the  boat.  He  was  all  unconscious  of  the  raging 
elements.  The  word  "  tempest  "  means  "  earthquake  "  in  the 
Greek.     It  may  not,  however,  have  been  an  actual  earthquake. 

25.  Save,  Lord;  we  perish.  They  had  to  awake  Jesus,  and 
Mark  represents  the  disciples  as  complaining  at  Jesus  for  letting 
them  perish  (4:  38),  "  We  are  perishing  "  is  probably  a  better 
translation. 

26.  Why  are  ye  fearful.  Jesus  rebukes  them  for  their  lack 
of  faith.  They  appealed  to  him  for  help,  but  did  not  believe  that 
he  could  save  them  while  asleep.  Rebuked.  It  was  a  wonderful 
scene.  They  had  seen  Jesus  cast  out  demons  and  all  sorts  of  dis- 
eases, but  here  he  grapples  with  the  elements  of  nature.  If  Jesus 
was  in  reality  the  Lord  of  Nature,  the  Creator  (Jn.  i  :  3)  and  the 
sustainer  of  the  universe  (Col.  i :  17),  the  case  is  comprehensible. 
If  he  was  only  a  man,  there  is  no  ground  for  credence.  A  great 
calm.     In  sudden  contrast  to  the  great  storm. 

27.  The  men.  An  unusual  way  of  speaking  of  the  disciples. 
It  is  possible  that  hired  men  were  rowing  the  boat.  What  man- 
ner of  man.  If  it  is  the  rowers  who  speak,  no  comment  is  neces- 
sary. But  Mark  and  Luke  seem  to  imply  that  the  disciples  say 
this.  But  they  were  only  gradually  learning  the  wonders  of  the 
personality  of  Jesus.  They  had  taken  him  as  Lord  and  Master 
(and  Messiah),  but  this  mastery  of  nature  was  a  new  experience. 

127 


MATTHEW 


M  28.  And  when  he  was  come  to  the  other  side  into  the 
country  of  the  Gadarenes,  there  met  him  two  possessed 
with  devils,  coming  forth  out  of  the  tombs,  exceeding 

29.  fierce,  so  that  no  man  could  pass  by  that  way.  And 
behold,  they  cried  out,  saying.  What  have  we  to  do 
with  thee,  thou  Son  of  God  ?  art  thou  come  hither  to 

30.  torment  us  before  the  time  ?    Now  there  was  afar  off 

31.  from  them  a  herd  of  many  swine  feeding.     And  the 

(6)    The  Gadarene  Demoniacs,  8 :  28-34 

28.  To  the  other  side.  The  eastern  side  in  the  region  of 
Decapolis.  It  was  after  the  storm,  but  probably  before  dark. 
The  Synoptics  all  agree  in  the  place  of  this  miracle.  Gadarenes. 
Mark  (5  :  i)  and  Luke  (8 :  26)  have  "  Gerasenes."  There  is  a 
hamlet  near  the  lake  still  called  Gersa  or  Khersa.  The  city  of 
Gadara  is  about  six  miles  away.  The  village  of  Gersa  (Gerasa) 
would  belong  to  the  district  of  Gadara.  Matthew  may  have 
used  Gadara  to  avoid  confusion  with  the  city  of  Gerasa  some 
thirty  miles  away.  Two.  Mark  and  Luke  have  "  one."  If 
Matthew  is  correct,  Mark  and  Luke  may  have  the  tradition  con- 
cerning the  more  prominent  one.  Cf.  two  blind  men  in  Matt. 
20:30  while  Mark  (10:46)  and  Luke  (18:35)  have  one.  But 
in  Matt,  28:  5  we  have  one  angel  and  two  in  Jn.  20:  12,  while 
Mark  (16:  5)  has  one  young  man  and  Luke  (24:  4)  two.  Mat- 
thew and  John  apparently  had  first-hand  information.  Such 
variation  in  details  does  not  discredit  the  narratives,  whatever 
the  explanation.  Possessed  with  devils.  Demons.  Mark 
(5  :  9)  and  Luke  (8 :  30)  say  that  there  were  a  legion  of  them.  A 
full  Roman  legion  was  six  thousand.  They  were  bad  cases  of  pos- 
session surely.  Mark  and  Luke  give  this  incident  with  much 
more  completeness  than  Matthew.  See  Matt.  8 :  16  for  remarks 
about  demoniac  possession.  Out  of  the  tombs.  They  were 
hopelessly  possessed  with  insanity,  the  terror  of  the  region. 

29.  What  have  we  to  do  with  thee.  The  demons  are  here 
said  to  be  speaking,  not  the  man.  Thou  Son  of  God.  They  know 
who  Jesus  is.  As  supernatural  beings  they  have  unusual  knowl- 
edge, though  not  omniscient.  It  was  a  weird  spectacle  and  un- 
canny testimony.  To  torment  us  before  the  time.  The  demons 
know  their  home  and  their  fate.  They  acknowledge  the  power  of 
Jesus. 

30.  A  herd  of  many  swine  feeding.  Mark,  who  often  gives  vivid 
details,  adds  that  the  number  was  about  two  thousand  (5  :  13). 

128 


MATTHEW 


devils  besought  him,  saying,  If  thou  cast  us  out,  send 

32.  us  away  into  the  herd  of  swine.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  Go.  And  they  came  out,  and  went  into  the 
swine :   and  behold,  the  whole  herd  rushed  down  the 

33.  steep  into  the  sea,  and  perished  in  the  waters.  And 
they  that  fed  them  fled,  and  went  away  into  the  city, 
and  told  every  thing,  and  what  was  befallen  to  them 

34.  that  were  possessed  with  devils.  And  behold,  all  the  city 
came  out  to  meet  Jesus ;  and  when  they  saw  him,  they 
besought  him  that  he  would  depart  from  their  borders. 

9.      And  he  entered  into  a  boat,  and  crossed  over,  and  m 


31.  If  thou  cast  us  out.  They  recognize  that  they  are  in  the 
wrong  place  in  the  human  spirit  to  work  ruin  there.  They  seem 
to  know  that  Jesus  will  not  suffer  them  to  remain.  They  do  not 
wish  to  go  back  to  hell.  They  ask  to  enter  the  hogs  as  a  com- 
promise, thinking  that  Jesus  cared  less  for  hogs  than  for  men. 

32.  Go.  They  were  right.  There  is  no  comparison  between 
the  value  of  human  souls  and  property.  Even  living  animals 
cannot  be  put  in  the  same  scales.  It  is  useless  to  raise  objections 
to  the  possibility  of  evil  spirits  taking  charge  of  hogs  which  have 
no  such  spirits.  But  modern  science  has  shown  that  mind  has 
influence  over  matter.  The  whole  herd  rushed  down  tiie  steep 
into  the  sea.  When  a  few  started,  the  rest  would  follow.  The 
mountain  is  steep  at  this  point.  Once  started  there  was  no 
stopping  till  they  were  in  the  lake,  and  they  were  soon  drowned. 

7,7,.^  They  that  fed  them.  They  were  terrified  at  the  presence 
in  their  borders  of  one  who  had  wonder-working  power. 

34.  All  the  city.  The  excitement  was  great  and  the  curiosity 
also.  They  saw  Jesus  and  the  men  (or  man)  at  the  feet  of  Jesus 
(Mk.  5:15;  Lk.  8:35).  Would  depart.  He  left,  but  he  told 
the  man  (Mk.  5  :  91  f. ;  Lk.  8  :  38  f.)  to  go  back  and  tell  his  friends 
what  God  had  done  for  him.  Jesus  had  no  fanatical  friends  here 
in  Decapolis  who  would  be  misled  by  such  testimony.  In  Galilee 
he  told  such  men  not  to  tell  in  order  to  avoid  undue  excitement 
(Matt.  8:4).     There  were  no  Pharisees  in  this  region. 

(7)    The  Paralytic  let  down  through  the  Roof,  9 :  1-8 

I.  Entered  into  a  boat.  This  verse  should  have  been  put  with 
Ch.  8  as  the  conclusion  of  the  last  incident.     Cf.  Mk.  5:21;  Lk. 

K  129 


MATTHEW 


2.  came  into  his  own  city.  And  behold,  they  brought 
to  him  a  man  sick  of  the  palsy,  lying  on  a  bed :  and 
Jesus  seeing  their  faith  said  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy, 

3.  Son,  be  of  good  cheer;  thy  sins  are  forgiven.  And 
behold,  certain  of  the  scribes  said  within  themselves, 

4.  This  man  blasphemeth.  And  Jesus  knowing  their 
thoughts  said.  Wherefore  think  ye  evil  in  your  hearts  ? 

8 :  40.     It  has  no  connection  with  the  case  of  the  paralytic.     His 
own  city.     Capernaum,  now  the  home  of  Jesus. 

2.  And  behold.  A  common  introduction  in  Matthew,  but 
the  incident  comes  according  to  Mark  (2  :  1-12)  and  Luke  (5  :  17- 
26)  much  earher  than  Matthew  has  it.  Sick  of  the  palsy  lying  on 
a  bed.  Bedridden  like  the  centurion's  servant  (Matt.  8:  6),  the 
second  case  of  palsy  recorded  by  Matthew.  The  bed  was  the 
usual  pallet.  Matthew  does  not  tell  about  the  zeal  of  the  friends 
who  dig  a  hole  in  the  tile  roof  and  let  him  down  (Mk.  2:4;  Lk. 
5  :  19).  Mark  (2  :  i)  adds  that  Jesus  was  "  at  home  "  or  "  in  the 
house,"  possibly  that  of  Jesus  (or  of  Simon,  where  he  apparently 
stayed) .  Their  faith.  That  of  friends  who  bore  him  as  well  as  of 
the  sick  man.  Son.  Ajffectionate  and  compassionate  address. 
Thy  sins  are  forgiven.  It  is  the  present  tense  in  the  Greek,  but 
may  be  the  aoristic  use  of  it.  The  friends  had  brought  him  for  a 
cure  and  were  probably  surprised  at  this  statement  of  Jesus.  The 
man  himself  may  have  rejoiced,  having  seen  some  connection 
between  his  sins  and  his  disease. 

3.  Scribes.  Luke  adds  "  and  Pharisees  "  and  had  already 
said  that  they  and  these  "  doctors  of  the  law  sitting  by  "  "  were 
come  out  of  every  village  of  Galilee  and  Judaea  and  Jerusalem." 
As  the  ministry  of  John  caused  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  to 
take  notice,  so  already  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  have  come  to  in- 
vestigate Jesus.  They  have  come  up  to  look  into  the  work  of 
Jesus  and  report  to  headquarters  in  Jerusalem.  From  now  till 
his  death  Jesus  will  be  watched  by  the  Jerusalem  Pharisees.  He 
is  a  marked  man.  They  will  really  soon  have  a  conspiracy  to  put 
him  to  death  and  hunt  for  grounds  of  accusation.  The  Sadducees 
do  not  appear  against  Jesus  until  towards  the  close  of  his  ministry. 
The  Pharisees  take  umbrage  because  Jesus  attacks  the  traditions 
cherished  by  them.  Within  themselves.  They  hesitated  to 
speak  out.  This  man  blasphemeth.  They  pose  as  jealous 
guardians  of  orthodoxy.  Here  was  a  man  assuming  the  preroga- 
tives of  God.     But,  was  their  motive  not  largely  hatred  of  Jesus? 

4.  Knowing  their  thoughts.     Jesus  was  more  than  a  mere  man. 

130 


MATTHEW 


5.  For  whether  is  easier,  to  say,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven; 

6.  or  to  say.  Arise,  and  walk  ?  But  that  ye  may  know 
that  the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive 
sins  (then  saith  he  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy),  Arise,  and 

7.  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  unto  thy  house.     And  he  arose, 

8.  and  departed  to  his  house.  But  when  the  multitudes 
saw  it,  they  were  afraid,  and  glorified  God,  which  had 
given  such  power  unto  men. 

He  could  read  the  human  heart.  Doubtless  these  men  reflected 
the  state  of  mind  in  the  scowl  of  the  face,  but  Jesus  perceived  in 
his  own  spirit  their  accusation  (Mk.  2:8).  His  sensitive  spirit 
felt  the  hostility  in  their  hearts, 

5.  Easier.  So  Jesus  gives  them  a  dilemma.  He  implies 
that  one  is  as  easy  for  him  as  the  other.  It  is  a  mere  matter  of 
detail. 

6.  That  ye  may  know.  His  enemies  reasoned  (Mk.  2 :  7) 
that  only  God  has  power  to  forgive  sins.  Jesus  accepts  their 
premise  and  proceeds  to  give  proof  of  his  claim  as  understood  by 
them.  This  argument  is  tantamount  to  a  claim  to  deity,  though 
he  does  not  frame  it  in  so  many  words.  The  miracles  of  Jesus 
were  often  just  acts  of  mercy  out  of  the  compassion  of  Christ,  but 
here  he  shows  his  power  specifically  in  connection  with  a  claim  to 
deity.  Miracles  of  themselves  do  not  prove  deity,  for  others  be- 
side Jesus  worked  them.  It  is  only  when  taken  in  connection 
with  his  claim  and  his  character  that  they  bear  this  value.  That 
is  true  here.  The  Son  of  man.  And  yet  he  uses  his  usual  phrase 
for  himself,  not  "  the  Son  of  God."  Power  on  earth  to  forgive 
sins.  Here  and  now.  On  earth  is  in  fact  where  human  destiny 
is  settled.  (He  saith  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy.)  This  parenthesis 
occurs  in  the  midst  of  the  words  of  Jesus  in  all  the  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels. This  peculiar  fact  shows  some  definite  connection  between 
these  Gospels  in  this  incident.  Probably  Matthew  and  Luke  both 
make  use  of  Mark.  Arise.  He  is  not  healed  till  now.  There 
was  no  necessary  connection  between  the  cures  of  Jesus  and  the 
forgiveness  of  sins.  Cf.  the  man  born  blind  who  was  forgiven 
after  his  cure  (Jn.  9  :  35-39),  just  the  opposite  of  this  case.  There 
is  no  indication  that  the  impotent  man  in  Jn.  5  :  1-15  was  con- 
verted at  all,  but,  if  so,  it  was  after  the  cure. 

8.  They  were  afraid.  The  multitudes  were.  Nothing  is 
told  concerning  the  emotions  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  unless 
they  were  amazed  like  the  "  all  "  of  Mark  and  Luke.  They  were 
probably  angrier  than  before.     Power  unto  men.     Jesus  was  a 

131 


MATTHEW 


M  9.  And  as  Jesus  passed  by  from  thence,  he  saw  a  man, 
called  Matthew,  sitting  at  the  place  of  toll:  and  he 
saith  unto  him,  Follow  me.  And  he  arose,  and  fol- 
lowed him. 

10.       And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  sat  at  meat  in  the  house, 
behold,  many  publicans  and  sinners  came  and  sat  down 

man  and  he  used  this  power  for  the  benefit  of  men.     "  We  have 
seen  strange  things  to-day  "  (Lk.  5  :  26). 

(8)    The  Call  and  Feast  of  Matthew,  9 :  9-13 

9.  As  Jesus  passed  by.  .  Mark  (2  :  13-17)  and  Luke  (5  :  27-32) 
place  this  incident  in  the  same  order  as  Matthew,  just  after  the 
healing  of  the  paralytic.  Called  Matthew.  The  Apostle  Mat- 
thew (Matt.  10 :  i)  is  thus  identified  with  the  publicans.  If  the 
Apostle  himself  wrote  this  section,  his  modesty  is  noticeable.  At 
any  rate  the  identification  occurs  alone  in  the  Gospel  bearing  his 
name.  Mark  and  Luke  both  call  the  publican  here  Levi.  He 
had  both  names,  like  John  Mark.  Both  Matthew  and  Levi  are 
Jewish  names.     Matthew    (Mattathias)    probably  means   "  gift 

'  of  Jehovah."  Sitting  at  the  place  of  toll.  This  was  probably  on 
the  outskirts  of  Capernaum  near  the  lake  on  the  public  highway. 
It  was  in  the  tetrarchy  of  Herod  Antipas,  so  that  Matthew  was 
not  technically  a  Roman  publican  like  Zacchaeus  (Lk.  19:  i  f.), 
but  the  whole  class  had  come  to  be  violently  hated  because  of 
their  extortions  and  the  general  repugnance  to  paying  toll.  They 
were  regarded  as  traitors  to  the  Jewish  people  and  coupled  with 
outcasts  like  sinners  and  harlots.  Matthew,  though  a  Jew,  would 
have  to  mingle  freely  with  all  classes  of  people,  including  Gentiles, 
and  must  needs  violate  the  Pharisaic  rules  of  the  Sabbath.  Fol- 
low me.  Jesus  certainly  knew  the  calling  of  Matthew  and  may 
have  had  previous  acquaintance  with  the  man.  In  point  of  time 
this  call  is  before  the  formal  appointment  of  the  twelve  Apostles 
at  the  time  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  The  call  of  Matthew 
here  is  to  service,  not  to  apostleship.  He  arose.  The  ready  re- 
sponse shows  that  Matthew  had  some  knowledge  of  Jesus.  He 
had  a  lucrative  post,  but  joyfully  left  it  for  the  service  of  Jesus. 

10.  Sat  at  meat  in  the  house.  Luke  (5  :  29)  tells  that  Levi 
made  a  great  feast  (reception)  for  Christ.  Levi  was  the  host  and 
Jesus  was  the  guest  of  honor.  This  he  did  out  of  joy  at  his  con- 
version and  his  new  service  under  Jesus.  Many  publicans  and 
sinners.     He  invited  his  old  friends  to  meet  his  new  friends.     Levi 

132 


MATTHEW 


11.  with  Jesus  and  his  disciples.    And  when  the  Pharisees 
saw  it,  they  said  unto  his  disciples,  Why  eateth  your 

12.  Master  with  the  pubHcans  and  sinners?    But  when 
he  heard  it,  he  said,  They  that  are  whole  have  no  need 

13.  of  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick.     But  go  ye  and  R 
learn  what  this  meaneth,  I  desire  mercy,  and  not  sacri-  M  He 
fice :  for  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners. 

is  not  ashamed  of  his  old  companions  and  cares  little  for  Pharisaic 
prejudices.  It  was  a  large  company  and  shows  that  Levi  had 
accumulated  a  little  money  in  his  business.  Sat  down  with  Jesus 
and  his  disciples.  We  do  not  know  whether  any  Gentiles  were  in- 
vited or  not.  The  Pharisees  had  made  this  rule  (not  in  the 
Mosaic  Law)  and  were  very  particular  about  it  (Lk.  15:2;  Acts 
11:2;  Gal.  2:11).  Mark  (2:15)  rather  intimates  that  some 
of  the  crowd  came  out  of  friendship  for  Jesus.  But  Jesus  and 
his  disciples  here  eat  with  publicans  and  sinners,  a  gross  breach 
of  social  form  from  the  Pharisaic  standpoint. 

11.  The  Pharisees  saw  it.  Mark  (2:16)  calls  them  "the 
scribes  of  the  Pharisees  "  (cf.  disciples  of  the  Pharisees,  Matt. 
22:15  f-))  possibly  the  younger  scribes  ("  Pharisees  and  their 
scribes,"  Lk.  5:30).  What  were  they  doing  here?  It  was  al- 
lowable for  uninvited  persons  to  come  to  a  feast,  not  to  participate, 
but  as  spectators.  Would  the  Pharisees  enter  the  house  of  a 
publican  ?  On  that  point  we  have  no  light.  They  were  eager  to 
find  fault  with  Jesus.  At  any  rate  they  would  hang  around  on 
the  outside  and  note  the  character  of  the  guests.  Unto  his  dis- 
ciples.    They  did  not  speak  to  Jesus  as  they  do  later  (Lk.  15  :  i  f.). 

12.  He  heard  it.  Either  overheard  or  was  told.  Whole.  He 
does  not  admit  that  the  Pharisees  are  "  whole,"  though  they  claim 
to  be.  As  a  physician  Jesus  can  pass  them  by.  They  will  have 
no  grounds  of  complaint  if  the  doctor  visits  and  cures  the  sick. 

13.  Go  ye  and  learn.  Only  in  Matthew.  A  fine  piece  of 
sarcasm.  The  doctors  of  the  law  are  told  their^  ignorance  of  the 
very  heart  of  the  law  (Hos.  6:6).  Ceremonialism  had  become  a 
vice  in  the  times  of  the  prophets.  In  these  words  Jesus  sets  forth 
in  striking  scriptural  phrase  the  fundamental  difference  between 
himself  and  the  Pharisees.  The  saying  is  a  paradox  or  rather 
exaggerated  contrast.  Mercy  is  more  important  than  sacrifice, 
though  sacrifice  was  commanded.  For.  In  giving  his  reason  Jesus 
explains  this  parable  about  the  physician  and  the  sick.  Christ  here 
merely  treats  the  Pharisees  according  to  their  own  estimate,  not  ad- 
mitting its  truth.     Christ  had  no  message  for  Pharisees  till  they 

133 


MATTHEW 


M  14.  Then  come  to  him  the  disciples  of  John,  saying,  Why 
do  we  and  the  Pharisees  fast  oft,  but  thy  disciples  fast 
15.  not  ?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Can  the  sons  of  the 
bride-chamber  mourn,  as  long  as  the  bridegroom  is 
with  them  ?  but  the  days  will  come,  when  the  bride- 
groom shall  be  taken  away  from  them,  and  then  will 


recognized  themselves  as  sinners.  Cf.  Gal.  3:17.  As  always,  the 
Pharisees  are  worse  off  in  the  encounter  than  before,  and  angrier. 
The  breech  is  rapidly  growing  wider  between  Jesus  and  the  Phari- 
sees.    Christ  actually  prefers  a  publican  to  the  Pharisees. 

(9)    The  Question,  of  Fasting,  9:  14-17 

14.  Then.  The  Synoptics  all  agree  again  in  relation  of  this 
incident  after  the  feast  of  Matthew  (Mk.  2  :  18-22 ;  Lk.  5  :  33-39). 
Matthew  is  again  briefer.  It  does  not  follow  necessarily,  though 
possible,  that  the  question  of  fasting  grew  out  of  the  feast.  The 
disciples  of  John.  John  was  himself  in  prison.  Some  of  his  dis- 
ciples had  already  shown  jealousy  of  Jesus  (Jn.  3  :  26),  though 
John  himself  was  absolutely  free  from  it.  Some  of  his  other 
disciples,  who  also  misunderstand  the  teaching  of  their  master, 
reappear  in  the  apostolic  times  (Acts  19:4).  John  was  himself 
ascetic  (Matt.  11 :  18),  while  Jesus  entered  into  social  life  (11 :  19). 
Both  were  misunderstood.  But  John,  as  the  last  of  the  Old 
Testament  Prophets  and  the  Herald  of  the  Messiah,  did  not 
make  the  new  spiritual  life  clear  enough  to  enable  all  of  his  dis- 
ciples to  cut  loose  from  the  bondage  of  ceremonial  Judaism. 
We  and  the  Pharisees.  But  the  combination  is  surprising  in 
view  of  the  denunciation  of  the  Pharisees  by  John,  However,  on 
this  point  they  were  at  one  with  the  Pharisees  against  the  practice 
of  Jesus.  Besides,  their  master  was  in  prison  and  Jesus  did  not 
do  anything  to  help  him.  But  one  must  not  think  that  John 
would  have  approved  this  coalition  against  Jesus.  Oft.  Perhaps 
they  had  noticed  that  Jesus  and  his  disciples  had  neglected  one  of 
the  regular  seasons  of  fasting. 

15.  The  sons  of  the  bride-chamber.  Jesus  uses  three  parables 
in  his  reply.  He  calls  himself  here  the  bridegroom,  as  John  had 
called  him  (Jn.  3  :  29),  and  perhaps  for  that  very  reason  as  a  rebuke 
to  these  disciples  of  John.  John  had  proudly  claimed  to  be  a 
friend  of  the  bridegroom,  as  Jesus  now  terms  his  disciples  "  sons  " 
according  to  a  common  Hebrew  idiom.  Then  they  will  fast. 
The  point  is  plain.     Fasting  under  the  new  dispensation  Will  be 

134 


MATTHEW 


i6.  they  fast.  And  no  man  putteth  a  piece  of  undressed 
cloth  upon  an  old  garment ;  for  that  which  should  fill 
it  up  taketh  from  the  garment,  and  a  worse  rent  is 

17.  made.  Neither  do  men  put  new  wine  into  old  wine- 
skins :  else  the  skins  burst,  and  the  wine  is  spilled,  and 
the  skins  perish:  but  they  put  new  wine  into  fresh 
wine-skins,  and  both  are  preserved. 

18.  While  he  spake  these  things  unto  them,  behold,  there  M 
came  a  ruler,  and  worshipped  him,  saying.  My  daugh- 

not  stated  and  perfunctory,  but  occasional  and  real.     Cf.  Christ's 
teaching  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  (Matt.  6 :  16-18). 

16.  A  piece  of  undressed  cloth  upon  an  old  garment.  This 
second  parable  may  have  been  suggested  by  the  first  (a  wedding). 
But  it  is  pertinent.  Undressed  wool  will  shrink  and  tear  the  old 
cloth.  Christianity  cannot  be  put  on  Judaism  like  a  patch,  least 
of  all  upon  the  current  Judaism.  One  needs  to  recall  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount  again  for  the  real  relation  between  Judaism  and 
Christianity. 

17.  New  wine  into  old  wine-skins.  The  skins  already  used 
once  for  wine  were  notoriously  brittle.  Christianity  cannot  carry 
over  the  old  forms  of  Judaism.  What  forms  Christianity  does 
have  (cf.  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper)  are  new  in  spirit, 
though  akin  to  the  old.  They  are  wine-skins,  but  new  ones. 
But  the  point  is  much  wider  than  this  later  illustration.  It  is 
fundamental.  The  new  wine  represents  the  whole  content  of  the 
gospel.  It  must  have  its  own  environment  and  work  out  its 
own  destiny,  unhampered  by  the  restrictions  of  Judaism.  These 
remarkable  parables  come  before  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  in 
order  of  time  and  show  how  already  Jesus  is  called  upon  to  in- 
terpret Christianity  in  contrast  with  the  current  Judaism.  The 
differences  between  Jesus  and  the  Pharisees  increase  all  the  time. 

(10)    J  aims' s  Daughter  and  the  Woman  with  an  Issue  of  Blood, 
9: 18-26 

18.  While  he  spake  these  things.  Mark  (5  :  22-43)  and  Luke 
(8  :  41-56)  give  this  incident  in  a  different  connection,  but  with  no 
note  of  time.  Matthew  distinctly  connects  it  with  the  discussion 
of  fasting.  His  report  is  much  briefer.  A  ruler.  Mark  and  Luke 
both  add  "  of  the  synagogue  "  and  give  his  name,  "  Jairus." 
My  daughter  is  even  now  dead.  It  is  the  first  case  of  a  raising 
from  the  dead  reported  in  Matthew.     It  is  just  an  inference  on 

13s 


MATTHEW 


ter  is  even  now  dead :  but  come  and  lay  thy  hand  upon 

19.  her,  and  she  shall  live.    And  Jesus  arose,  and  followed 

20.  him,  and  so  did  his  disciples.  And  behold,  a  woman, 
who  had  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  came  behind 

21.  him,  and  touched  the  border  of  his  garment:  for  she 
said  within  herself,  If  I  do  but  touch  his  garment,  I 

22.  shall  be  made  whole.  But  Jesus  turning  and  seeing 
her  said.  Daughter,  be  of  good  cheer ;  thy  faith  hath 
made  thee  whole.      And  the  woman  was  made  whole 

23.  from  that  hour.  And  when  Jesus  came  into  the  ruler's 
house,  and  saw  the  flute-players,  and  the  crowd  making 


the  part  of  the  ruler  that  Jesus  could  raise  the  dead ;  or  had  Jesus 
already  performed  such  a  miracle?  There  is  no  way  to  answer 
that  question.  But  there  is  no  doubt  about  his  great  faith. 
However,  Mark  reports  the  ruler  as  saying,  "  My  Uttle  daughter 
is  at  the  point  of  death."  But  the  report  of  her  death  is  received 
before  Jesus  reaches  the  house  (Mk.  5:35;  Lk.  8:49).  Luke 
adds  that  she  was  twelve  years  old.  Lay  thy  hand  upon  her. 
This  is  not  necessarily  superstition,  for  Jesus  often  laid  his  hand 
upon  those  whom  he  healed.  The  man  did  not  put  his  faith  in 
the  touch,  but  in  Jesus. 

19.  Arose.     The  appeal  touched  Jesus  strongly. 

20.  Who  had  an  issue  of  blood.  On  the  way  to  bring  the 
little  girl  back  to  life  he  is  overtaken  by  this  poor  woman.  It  is 
possible  that  Jesus  often  wrought  many  cures  on  the  wing,  so  to 
speak,  as  he  moved  among  the  crowds.  Touched  the  border  of 
his  garment.  She  also  had  great  faith,  even  if  a  bit  superstitious. 
Perhaps  she  did  not  wish  to  trouble  Jesus  nor  to  have  to  tell  of  her 
trouble. 

21.  Within  herself.  She  afterward  told  how  she  felt.  Made 
whole.  Cf.  the  cases  placed  where  Peter's  shadow  might  fall  on 
them  (Acts  5  :  13). 

22.  Jesus  turning.  Mark  (5:30)  tells  that  Jesus  perceived 
in  himself  that  power  from  him  had  gone  forth  and  how  the  poor 
woman  came  up  in  response  to  Christ's  question  and  confessed 
(5:31-34;  cf.  Lk.  8:45  ff.).  Daughter.  He  speaks  kindly  to 
her  when  he  learns  who  had  touched  him. 

23.  Saw  the  flute-players.  These  were  always  on  hand  at  a 
funeral,  even  among  the  poorest  families.  The  ruler  was  a  man  of 
note.     Tumult.     The  noise  was  to  show  grief. 

136 


MATTHEW 


24.  a  tumult,  he  said,  Give  place :  for  the  damsel  is  not 
dead,  but  sleepeth.    And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn. 

25.  But  when  the  crowd  was  put  forth,  he  entered  in,  and 

26.  took  her  by  the  hand;  and  the  damsel  arose.  And 
the  fame  hereof  went  forth  into  all  that  land. 

27.  And  as  Jesus  passed  by  from  thence,  two  blind  men 
followed  him,  crying  out,  and  saying.  Have  mercy  on 

28.  us,  thou  son  of  David.  And  when  he  was  come  into 
the  house,  the  blind  men  came  to  him :  and  Jesus  saith 
unto  them,  Believe  ye  that  I  am  able  to  do  this  ?    They 

24.  For  the  damsel  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth.  It  is  not  made 
perfectly  clear  here  whether  Jesus  means  that  she  is  not  really- 
dead  or  that  she  is  not  dead  to  stay  dead.  The  report  came  that 
she  was  dead  and  that  the  Master  was  not  to  be  troubled  (Mk. 
5  :  35).  If  it  was  resuscitation,  it  was  a  miracle  of  knowledge  as 
well  as  of  power,  for  she  revived  instantly.  .If  she  was  actually 
dead,  the  miracle  of  power  is  one  of  the  highest  order.  Laughed 
him  to  scorn.  Laughed  him  down  or  laughed  at  him,  literally. 
Evidently  those  present  thought  her  dead.     Cf.  Lk.  8 :  53. 

25.  The  crowd.  Both  the  mourners  (real  and  professional) 
and  other  visitors.  Took  her  by  the  hand.  As  he  often  did  in  his 
cures.  Perhaps  in  some  cases  magnetic  and  psychic  force  may 
have  been  communicated  through  the  hand  as  well  as  sympathy 
shown  by  the  touch.  But  here,  it  was  probably  done  to  assist 
her  in  arising.  The  damsel  arose.  This  is  the  startling  fact  to 
which  all  the  Synoptics  testify.  Peter,  James,  and  John,  together 
with  the  child's  father  and  mother,  were  alone  allowed  to  go  into 
the  room  (Mk.  5:31;    Lk.  8:51). 

26.  The  fame  hereof.     As  one  can  easily  understand. 

(11)    Two  Blind  Men,  9:27-31 

27.  As  Jesus'passed  by  from  thence.  Matthew  alone  gives 
this  miracle.  He  places  it  just  after  the  raising  of  Jairus's 
daughter.  Two  blind  man.  Matthew  has  two  instances  where 
the  other  Synoptics  have  only  one  (cf.  the  Gadarene  demoniacs. 
Matt.  8:28)  and  two  blind  men  (10:46-52).  Thou  son  of 
David.  The  first  example  of  this  Messianic  appellation  in  the 
ministry  of  Jesus  (15:22;    22  :  42). 

28.  Into  the  house.  Either  Matthew's  house  or  that  of  Peter. 
Believe   ye.     Jesus   often,   though  not    always,   challenges    the 

137 


MATTHEW 


29.  say  unto  him,  Yea,  Lord.  Then  touched  he  their  eyes, 
saying.  According  to  your  faith  be  it  done  unto  you. 

30.  And   their   eyes   were   opened.    And   Jesus   strictly 

31.  charged  them,  saying,  See  that  no  man  know  it.  But 
they  went  forth,  and  spread  abroad  his  fame  in  all  that 
land. 

32.  And  as  they  went  forth,  behold,  there  was  brought 

33.  to  him  a  dumb  man  possessed  with  a  devil.  And  when 
the  devil  was  cast  out,  the  dumb  man  spake :  and  the 
multitudes  marvelled,  saying.  It  was  never  so  seen  in 

34.  Israel.  But  the  Pharisees  said,  By  the  prince  of  the 
devils  casteth  he  out  devils. 


faith  of  those  about  to  be  healed.  Yea,  Lord.  They  knew  of 
other  cures.  They  probably  accepted  Jesus  as  Messiah  (cf. 
"  Thou  son  of  David  ")• 

29.  Touched  he  their  eyes.  As  often.  According  to  your 
faith.  Jesus  did  heal  persons  who  had  no  faith,  but  here  he  gives 
their  faith  as  the  measure  of  their  blessing. 

30.  Strictly  charged.  He  is  probably  in  Capernaum  where 
the  excitement  is  already  great;  cf.  also  8:4;    16  :  20. 

31.  But  they  went  forth.  The  prohibition  seems  to  have  made 
them  tell  all  the  more,  an  illustration  of  modern  perversity. 

(12)    The  Dumb  Demoniac,  9:32-34 

32.  And  as  they  went  forth.  Told  alone  by  Matthew  and  a 
very  brief  story  in  comparison  with  the  Gadarene  demoniacs.  A 
dumb  man.  Mentioned  before  the  demon  possession.  He  was 
a  quiet  demoniac  of  necessity. 

33.  It  was  never  so  seen  in  Israel.  The  cure  of  the  dumbness 
seemed  to  cause  more  excitement  than  the  exorcism  to  which  they 
may  have  become  partially  accustomed  (Matt.  12:  27). 

34.  By  the  prince  of  devils.  The  praise  of  the  multitudes 
angered  the  Pharisees,  who  felt  that  the  power  of  Jesus  must  be 
neutralized  somehow.  They  admit  the  fact  of  Christ's  miracles, 
but  attribute  them  to  Satan.  This  accusation  of  Christ's  being 
in  league  with  the  devil  was  made  in  the  presence  of  Jesus  later 
and  was  refuted  with  great  force  (Matt.  12  :  23-37).  Here  Jesus 
takes  no  notice  of  it. 

138 


MATTHEW 


7.  Experimental  Tour  of  the  Twelve,  9 :  35-11 :  i. 

35.  And  Jesus  went  about  all  the  cities  and  the  villages, 
teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and  preaching  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom,  and  healing  all  manner  of  disease  and 

36.  all  manner  of  sickness.  But  when  he  saw  the  multi- 
tudes, he  was  moved  with  compassion  for  them,  be- 
cause they  were  distressed  and  scattered,  as  sheep  not 

37.  having  a  shepherd.  Then  saith  he  unto  his  disciples, 
The  harvest  truly  is  plenteous,  but  the  labourers  are 


35-  Jesus  went  about.  In  Matt.  4:  23-25  we  had  a  general 
survey  of  Christ's  preaching  and  healing  in  Galilee.  This  was 
probably  a  summary  account  of  a  tour  taken  by  Jesus  and  his 
four  permanent  followers  (Peter  and  Andrew,  James  and  John). 
Then  came  in  Matthew  the  representative  discourse  (the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount),  followed  by  representative  examples  of  his  miracles. 
Now  we  have  another  tour,  unless,  as  is  possible,  Matthew  means 
to  resume  the  point  of  view  in  4:  23-25,  the  description  of  the 
work  of  Christ  in  general  terms.  There  is  a  fresh  tour  outlined 
in  Matt.  10  beyond  a  doubt.  In  Luke  8  :  1-3  there  is  still  another 
tour  of  Jesus  and  the  twelve,  which  probably  came  in  between 
the  one  in  Matt.  4:  23-25  and  that  in  Matt.  10.  In  the  first 
Jesus  went  with  the  four  followers.  In  the  second  he  had  the 
twelve  apostles  and  a  band  of  faithful  women.  In  the  third  tour 
of  Galilee  Jesus  sends  the  twelve  on  before  him,  while  he  works 
independently  and  follows  after.  All  the  cities  and  villages. 
Josephus  says  that  there  are  204  (or  215)  of  them.  It  was  a  large 
undertaking  if  he  visited  absolutely  all.  The  language  here  may 
refer  to  the  first  tour,  the  second  (in  Lk.),  or  by  anticipation  to  the 
third.  Teaching.  Named  first.  Jesus  was  essentially  a  teacher. 
Cf.  11:  28.     Preaching.     Cf.  4:  23.    Healing.     As  in  4:  23, 

36.  Saw  the  multitudes.  Cf.  4:25.  Moved  with  compas- 
sion. Cf.  4:24;  8:i6f. ;  9:36;  14:14;  15:32;  20:34.  If 
Jesus  was  indeed  the  great  Physician,  it  was  natural  for  him  to 
show  compassion  on  the  people  by  healing  as  well  as  teaching. 
The  cures  won  him  the  ear  of  the  people  for  his  message,  but  they 
also  expressed  the  love  and  pity  of  his  heart.  As  sheep  not  hav- 
ing a  shepherd.  Cf.  Mk.  6:34;  Num.  27:  17;  i  Kgs.  22:  17; 
Matt.  26:31.     A  common  and  vivid  metaphor. 

37.  His  disciples.  Chosen  a  good  while  before,  though  Mat- 
thew has  not  narrated  the  event.     The  harvest  truly  is  plenteous, 

139 


MATTHEW 


38.  few.  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that 
he  send  forth  labourers  into  his  harvest. 

10.  And  he  called  unto  him  his  twelve  disciples,  and  gave 
them  authority  over  unclean  spirits,  to  cast  them  out, 
and  to  heal  all  manner  of  disease  and  all  manner  of 
sickness. 

2.       Now  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  are  these: 
The  first,  Simon,  who  is  called  Peter,  and  Andrew  his 


but  the  laborers  are  few.  Cf.  Lk.  10 :  2  and  Jn.  4 :  35.  The 
figure  of  the  harvest  had  been  used  by  Jesus  as  early  as  the  visit 
to  Jacob's  well.  Language  is  largely  metaphor  (sheep,  harvest). 
The  harvest  was  ripe  in  Samaria.  It  is  ripe  in  Galilee.  It  is  ripe 
to-day  everywhere.  The  laborers  are  still  few  in  proportion  to 
demand. 

38.  Pray  ye  therefore.  This  is  the  remedy  suggested  by 
Jesus  for  the  lack  of  laborers.  It  is  prayer  by  the  preachers  for 
more  preachers.  Public  prayers  and  private  prayer.  It  is  the 
part  of  every  true  preacher  to  be  on  the  lookout  for  new  preachers. 
The  burden  rests  on  the  laborers.  That  he  send  forth.  It  is  the 
Lord's  harvest  and  he  must  do  the  sending.  But  God  works 
through  human  instrumentality  in  making  his  call  known  to  men. 

1.  His  twelve  disciples.  The  number  and  the  pronoun  both 
indicate  that  they  have  been  chosen  a  good  while.  We  know  from 
Luke  (6 :  12-16)  that  the  choice  was  made  just  before  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount.  Gave  them  authority  over  unclean  spirits.  They 
had  seen  Jesus  drive  them  out,  but  had  apparently  never  done  so 
themselves.  And  to  heal  all  manner  of  disease.  Distinguished 
from  demoniacal  possession. 

2.  The  names  of  the  twelve  apostles.  The  names  occur  also 
in  Mk.  3  :  16  f. ;  Lk.  6 :  i  f . ;  Acts  i :  13  f.  In  all  four  lists  Simon 
Peter  comes  first,  Philip  is  fifth,  James  the  son  of  Alphaeus  is 
ninth,  and  Judas  Iscariot  is  last  except  in  Acts,  when  the  twelfth 
place  is  vacant.  There  are  thus  three  groups  of  four  each  in  all 
four  lists.  The  names  in  each  group  except  the  first  (and  Judas 
Iscariot)  vary  in  position.  In  the  first  group  come  the  two  pairs 
of  brothers  (Peter,  Andrew,  James,  John).  There  is  another 
pair  of  brothers  in  the  third  group  (James  the  son  of  Alphaeus 
and  Judas  the  brother  of  James).  In  the  third  group  also  Simon 
the  Cananaean  (Matthew,  Mark)  is  called  Simon  the  Zealot  (Luke, 

140 


MATTHEW 


brother;  James  the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his 
brother;  Philip,  and  Bartholomew;  Thomas,  and 
Matthew  the  publican;    James  the  son  of  Alphseus, 


Acts).  So  Thaddaeus  (Matthew,  Mark)  is  Judas  the  brother  of 
James  (Luke,  Acts).  The  first,  Simon.  It  is  not  probable  that 
Simon  held  any  official  leadership.  He  was  the  readiest  talker 
and  the  most  aggressive  spirit  among  the  number.  In  Jerusalem 
during  the  apostolic  period  James,  the  Lord's  brother  (cf.  Acts  15 
and  21),  seems  to  be  the  leading  spirit  as  Paul  certainly  was  in  the 
Gentile  world.  But  in  Gal.  2 :  i-io  Paul  recognizes  Peter 
(Cephas),  James,  and  John  as  pillars  of  Judaistic  Christianity. 
He  divides  honors  with  Paul  and  John  among  the  Apostles  of 
Christ.  The  story  of  his  receiving  the  name  Peter  is  not  told  by 
Matthew.  The  Gospels,  Acts,  and  Peter's  Epistles  furnish 
considerable  material  for  a  knowledge  of  Peter,  the  Apostle  of  the 
circumcision.  Andrew  his  brother.  A  man  quite  the  opposite 
of  Peter  in  a  variety  of  ways,  a  cautious,  steady  man  of  counsel 
(cf.  Jn.  1 :  35-43  ;  6:8;  12:22;  Mk.  13:3).  James  the  son  of 
Zebedee.  Apparently  the  elder  brother;  the  Greek  Jacohos  is 
from  the  Hebrew  for  "  supplanter."  Zebedee  was  a  prosperous 
fisherman  (Matt.  4:  21 ;  Mk.  i :  20).  His  wife  Salome  was  am- 
bitious for  her  two  sons  (20 :  20)  and  apparently  helped  toward 
the  support  of  Jesus  and  the  Apostles  (27  :  55  f.;  Lk.  8 :  3).  Cf. 
Mk.  9  :  38  fiF.;  Lk.  9:525.  He  was  the  first  martyr  of  the  twelve 
(Acts  12:1).  John  his  brother.  Apparently  converted  early 
(Jn.  1 :  35-41),  having  been  a  disciple  of  John  the  Baptist.  Comes 
to  follow  Jesus  permanently  with  James  (Matt.  4 :  21).  He  is  "  the 
beloved  disciple  "  in  the  Fourth  Gospel,  which  he  probably  wrote, 
and  was  the  one  Apostle  who  came  into  the  court  of  trial  (Jn. 
18:  15)  and  stood  by  the  cross  (Jn.  19:  26  f.).  He  is  prominent 
with  Peter  in  the  early  chapters  of  the  Acts  and  lived  to  a  good  old 
age.  He  enriched  the  world  with  his  Epistles  and  the  Apocalypse 
according  to  most  authorities.  His  later  ministry  was  in  Ephesus. 
3.  Philip.  Cf.  Jn.  1 :  45.  He  was  a  former  disciple  of  the 
Baptist.  See  further,  Jn.  6  :  5  ff. ;  12:21;  14:  8  ff.  We  know 
little  more  about  him  except  that  he  heads  the  second  group  of 
names.  Bartholomew.  Usually  is  identified  with  Nathanael 
(Jn.  1 :  44  ff.).  He  was  born  in  Cana  near  Nazareth  (Jn.  21:2) 
and  he  receives  high  praise  from  Jesus  (Jn.  i :  47).  Thomas. 
Called  also  Didymus  (twin).  Cf.  Jn.  11 :  16  ;  14 :  4  f. ;  20 :  24  ff. 
He  was  a  man  of  shrinking  disposition,  rather  morose,  but  loyal 
at  heart.  Matthew  the  publican.  See  his  conversion  and  feast. 
Little  else  is  known  of  him  save  as  the  author  of  the  Aramaic 

141 


MATTHEW 


4.  and  Thaddaeus;    Simon   the   Cananaean,  and  Judas 

5.  Iscariot,  who  also  betrayed  him.    These  twelve  Jesus 
sent  forth,  and  charged  them,  saying, 

Go  not  into  any  way  of  the  Gentiles,  and  enter  not 

6.  into  any  city  of  the  Samaritans :  but  go  rather  to  the 

7.  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.    And  as  ye  go,  preach, 


Logia  used  as  one  of  the  sources  of  this  Gospel,  if  not  the  author  of 
the  Greek  Gospel  itself.  We  know  nothing  of  his  preaching,  but 
his  service  as  an  author  was  very  great  indeed.  James  the  son  of 
Alphaeus.  Not  the  James  the  brother  of  the  Lord  (Gal.  i :  19). 
He  heads  the  third  group,  but  we  know  nothing  more.  ThaddaBus. 
Another  name  for  Judas  the  brother  of  the  James  just  mentioned 
(Lk.  6:15). 

4.  Simon  the  Cananaean.  Or  Zelotes.  He  had  probably  be- 
longed to  the  party  of  the  Zealots  who  were  always  violent  in  their 
opposition  to  Rome  and  finally  brought  on  the  war  with  Rome. 
There  were  apparently  no  Pharisees  nor  Sadducees  in  the  list, 
unless  Judas  Iscariot  was  one.  Judas  Iscariot.  The  son  of  Si- 
mon Iscariot  (Jn.  6  :  71).  Probably  a  man  of  Kerioth  (Josh.  15  : 
15),  a  town  in  Judea.  He  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Gospels 
as  the  one  who  betrayed  Jesus.  That  was  the  great  crime  of  early 
Christianity  and  the  ignominy  of  Judas  will  never  pass  away.  It 
is  not  easy  to  explain  why  Jesus  chose  Judas,  especially  since  he 
had  suspicions,  if  not  knowledge,  of  his  true  character.  But  it  is 
to  be  remembered  that  Judas  grew  in  wickedness  and  that  he  had 
his  gifts  and  his  opportunity. 

5.  Sent  forth.  It  was  an  experiment,  but  they  must  learn  also 
by  actual  experience.  They  went  by  twos  (Mk.  6:7).  Gen- 
tiles. There  were  Gentiles  in  Galilee.  These  are  not  neces- 
sarily to  be  avoided.  It  was  the  first  tour  of  the  Apostles.  They 
must  not  prejudice  the  cause  by  going  into  the  Gentile  lands  like 
Phoenicia  or  Decapolis.  Time  enough  for  the  Gentile  propa- 
ganda later.  Jesus  will  himself  take  back  this  very  limitation 
(Matt.  28:  19).  The  charge  which  Jesus  gives  is  of  a  specific 
nature  and  cannot  properly  be  applied  in  all  details  to  world-wide 
conquest.  So  the  Jew  first  and  then  the  Greek.  This  is  the  day 
of  the  Jew.  Samaritans.  If  anything,  the  Jews  hated  the  Sa- 
maritans more  than  the  Gentiles  and  had  no  dealings  with  this 
mongrel  people,  half  Jew,  half  Gentile.  Cf.  Jn.  4  :  9  f.  The  same 
reason  for  prohibition  applies  here  with  more  force. 

6.  The  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  So  in  15  :  24.  But 
Jesus  has  sheep  not  of  the  fold  of  Israel.     Them  also  he  will  bring 

142 


MATTHEW 


8.  saying,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.    Heal  the 
sick,  raise  the  dead,  cleanse  the  lepers,  cast  out  devils : 

9.  freely  ye  received,  freely  give.     Get  you  no  gold,  nor 

10.  silver,  nor  brass  in  your  purses;    no  wallet  for  your 
journey,  neither  two  coats,  nor  shoes,  nor  staff:   for 

11.  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  food.     And  into  what- 
soever city  or  village  ye  shall  enter,  search  out  who  in 

12.  it  is  worthy;   and  there  abide  till  ye  go  forth.    And 

13.  as  ye  enter  into  the  house,  salute  it.    And  if  the  house 
be  worthy,  let  your  peace  come  upon  it :  but  if  it  be 

(Jn.  10  :  16),  but  not  now.     He  will  send  those  very  men  after  the 
other  sheep  later  (Matt.  28:  19). 

7.  As  ye  go.  They  are  to  be  evangelists,  travelling  preachers. 
The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  John  the  Baptist  had  so 
preached  (3:2).  Jesus  himself  had  so  preached  (4:17).  The 
command  to  *'  turn  "  or  repent  is  not  here  given,  but  may  very 
well  have  been  spoken  by  Jesus.     It  is  implied. 

8.  Heal  the  sick.  The  healing  ministry  is  put  first  here.  Cf. 
Medical  Missions.  Was  this  phase  of  work  temporary?  It  is  a 
grave  and  important  question  if  modern  Christianity  has  not 
neglected  the  body  too  much.  This  is  not  to  discredit  physicians, 
but  the  rather  to  use  them  more.  Raise  the  dead.  We  do  not 
know  if  they  succeeded  with  this  command.  But  cf.  Acts  9 :  40 
(Peter  and  Dorcas).  Cleanse  the  lepers.  Mentioned  because 
they  were  so  numerous.  Cast  out  devils.  As  usual,  a  separate 
item.  Freely  ye  received.  Ministers  are  not  merely  to  imbibe 
spiritual  refreshment.  That  is  to  become  spiritual  dyspeptics. 
It  is  true  also  of  all  Christians.     They  are  to  give  forth. 

9.  Get  you.  The  word  means,  do  not  stop  to  gain  money. 
Go  on  as  you  are  with  what  you  have. 

10.  No  wallet.  No  specific  preparation  in  way  of  apparel  is  to 
be  made  for  this  brief  tour.  The  details  vary  somewhat  in  Mk. 
6 :  8  f.  and  Lk.  9 :  3.  But  the  matter  is  not  very  important. 
For  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  food.  Cf.  Lk.  10:7;  i  Cor. 
9 :  14 ;  I  Tim.  5  :  18.  This  saying  may  be  a  proverb,  but  Paul 
uses  the  argument  in  i  Cor.  9  :  14  as  from  the  Lord  Jesus.  Christ 
does  not  mean,  of  course,  that  the  minister's  services  are  only 
worth  his  food.     But  he  deserves  support. 

11.  Who  in  it  is  worthy.     And  wiUing  to  show  hospitality. 

12.  Salute  it.     Cf.  Lk.  10:  5  f.,  "  Peace  to  this  house." 

13.  Your  peace  come  upon  it.     In  salutation. 

143 


MATTHEW 


14.  not  worthy,  let  your  peace  return  to  you.  And  who- 
soever shall  not  receive  you,  nor  hear  your  words,  as 
ye  go  forth  out  of  that  house  or  that  city,  shake  off 

15.  the  dust  of  your  feet.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  It  shall 
be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
in  the  day  of  judgement,  than  for  that  city. 

16.  Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of 
wolves :  be  ye  therefore  wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless 

17.  as  doves.  But  beware  of  men:  for  they  will  deliver 
you  up  to  councils,  and  in  their  synagogues  they  will 

18.  scourge  you ;  yea  and  before  governors  and  kings  shall 
ye  be  brought  for  my  sake,  for  a  testimony  to  them  and 

19.  to  the  Gentiles.  But  when  they  deliver  you  up,  be 
not  anxious  how  or  what  ye  shall  speak :   for  it  shall 

20.  be  given  you  in  that  hour  what  ye  shall  speak.  For  it 
is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  that 

21.  speaketh    in    you.    And    brother    shall    deliver    up 

14.  Shake  off  the  dust  of  your  feet.  Luke  (9 :  6)  adds 
"against  them,"  Mark  (6:  11),  "for  a  testimon)''  unto  them." 
A  dramatic  picture  of  displeasure. 

15.  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  Common  examples  of  God's 
judgment.     Cf.  ii:23f. ;   Lk.  10:12;    17:  29;  etc. 

16.  As  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves.  A  startling  image. 
Both,  not  one.     Either  alone  would  be  fatal,  a  fiend  or  a  fool. 

17.  But  beware  of  men.  Not  to  fear  men,  but  to  be  on  the 
watch.  Councils.  No  record  of  that  in  this  tour,  but  see  Peter 
and  John  in  the  early  chapters  of  Acts.     Scourge  you.     See  Acts. 

18.  Before  governors  and  kings.  Paul's  example  is  a  per- 
tinent one.  To  them.  So  Paul  testified  to  Felix,  Festus,  Agrippa, 
as  Peter  and  John  did  to  the  Sanhedrin.  Gentiles.  Apparently 
a  look  into  the  future  beyond  this  special  tour. 

19.  Be  not  anxious.  No  reference,  of  course,  to  preaching,  but 
only  to  arrest  and  imprisonment.  Cf.  Peter  before  the  Sanhedrin 
and  Paul  likewise.  Shall  be  given  you.  The  courage  and  the 
defence. 

20.  Not  ye  that  speak.  Real  inspiration.  Instance  the  vari- 
ous defences  of  Peter  in  Acts  and  the  noble  one  of  Stephen,  full  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  (Acts  7). 

144 


MATTHEW 


brother  to  death,  and  the  father  his  child :  and  children 
shall  rise  up  against  parents,  and  cause  them  to  be  put 

22.  to  death.  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my 
name's  sake:   but  he  that  endureth  to  the  end,  the 

23.  same  shall  be  saved.  But  when  they  persecute  you 
in  this  city,  flee  into  the  next :  for  verily  I  say  unto 
you.  Ye  shall  not  have  gone  through  the  cities  of  Israel, 
till  the  Son  of  man  be  come. 

24.  A  disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  a  servant 

25.  above  his  lord.  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he 
be  as  his  master,  and  the  servant  as  his  lord.  If  they 
have  called  the  master  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how 
much  more  shall  they  call  them  of  his  household ! 

26.  Fear  them  not  therefore :  for  there  is  nothing  covered, 
that  shall  not  be  revealed ;  and  hid,  that  shall  not  be 

27.  known.  What  I  tell  you  in  the  darkness,  speak  ye 
in  the  light:  and  what  ye  hear  in  the  ear,  proclaim  upon 

28.  the  housetops.     And  be  not  afraid  of  them  which  kill 

21.  Brother.  Religious  bitterness  does  not  stop  with  home 
ties.     In  China  to-day  many  instances  illustrate  Christ's  words. 

22.  Be  hated  of  sdl  men.  Jesus  was  already  hated  by  the 
Pharisees.  The  cloud  of  hate  will  grow  blacker  for  his  disciples. 
To  the  end.     The  real  test  of  conversion. 

23.  Flee  into  the  next.  Cf.  Paul's  conduct  in  his  missionary 
journeys. 

24.  Not  above  his  master.  The  cup  of  persecution  will  be 
offered  to  the  servant  also.     Jesus  is  already  drinking  it. 

25.  As  his  master.  That  is  honor  enough.  Beelzebub.  Or 
Beelzebul.  The  Prince  of  demons.  Probably  only  another 
term  for  the  devil.  The  etymology  is  obscure.  Here  Jesus  as- 
serts that  he  was  called  by  his  enemies  Beelzebub.  _  Cf .  9 :  34, 
where  he  is  already  said  to  be  in  league  with  the  prince  of  the 
demons.     Cf.  12  :  24. 

27.  Speak  ye  in  the  light.  The  only  place  for  the  servant  of 
Christ.  Upon  the  housetops.  The  gospel  must  be  spread 
abroad. 

28.  Able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell.  God,  not 
Satan.     Hell.     Gehenna. 

I-  145 


MATTHEW 


the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul :  but  rather 
fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body 

29.  in  hell.  Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a  farthing? 
and  not  one  of  them  shall  fall  on  the  ground  without 

30.  your  Father :  but  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all 

31.  numbered.     Fear  not  therefore ;  ye  are  of  more  value 

32.  than  many  sparrows.  Every  one  therefore  who  shall 
confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  confess  before 

33.  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  But  whosoever  shall 
deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny  before  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

34.  Think  not  that  I  came  to  send  peace  on  the  earth : 

35.  I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword.  For  I  came 
to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his  father,  and  the 
daughter  against  her  mother,  and  the  daughter  in  law 

36.  against  her  mother  in  law :  and  a  man's  foes  shall  he 

37.  they  of  his  own  household.     He  that  loveth  father  or 


29.  Without  your  Father.  The  modern  doctrine  of  the  im- 
manence of  God  makes  this  statement  more  intelligible. 

30.  Very  hairs  of  your  head.  It  sounds  like  hyperbole,  but 
note  the  remark  just  made  about  God's  immanence.  Omniscience 
means  all  knowledge. 

31.  Of  more  value  than  many  sparrows.  The  soul  of  man  is 
the  measure  of  his  worth. 

32.  Confess  me  before  men.  Conviction,  conversion,  con- 
fession.    Jesus  insists  on  confession. 

33.  Deny  me  before  men.     Not  to  confess  is  to  deny. 

34.  Send  peace.  Yet  he  is  the  King  of  Peace.  His  birth 
was  hailed  as  the  coming  of  peace.  Jesus  is  fond  of  paradoxes, 
of  stating  one  side  of  a  truth  to  startle  the  mind.  He  did  come 
to  bring  peace  to  those  who  will  take  it.  But  as  he  brings  peace 
to  some  hearts,  others  are  led  to  draw  the  sword.  It  is  thus  in- 
directly that  Christ  brings  the  sword. 

35.  At  variance.  Because  men  take  sides  for  and  against 
Christ.     There  is  no  neutral  ground. 

36.  Of  his  own  household.  Not  always,  but  sometimes,  alas. 
This  is  all  that  Jesus  means. 

146 


MATTHEW 


mother  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me :  and  he 
that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me  is  not 

38.  worthy  of  me.    And  he  that  doth  not  take  his  cross 

39.  and  follow  after  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  He  that 
findeth  his  Hf e  shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  loseth  his  Uf e 
for  my  sake  shall  find  it. 

40.  He  that  receiveth  you  receiveth  me,  and  he  that 

41.  receiveth  me  receiveth  him  that  sent  me.  He  that 
receiveth  a  prophet  in  the  name  of  a  prophet  shall 
receive  a  prophet's  reward;  and  he  that  receiveth  a 
righteous  man  in  the  name  of  a  righteous  man  shall 

42.  receive  a  righteous  man's  reward.  And  whosoever 
shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of  these  little  ones  a  cup 
of  cold  water  only,  in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I 
say  unto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward. 

11.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jesus  had  made  an  end 
of  commanding  his  twelve  disciples,  he  departed  thence 
to  teach  and  preach  in  their  cities. 

37.  More  than  me.  Christ  will  have  no  rival.  A  virtual 
claim  to  deity. 

38.  Take  his  cross.  Crucifixion  was  so  common  that  it  has  a 
figurative  sense.  The  prisoner,  going  to  death,  bore  his  own  cross 
literally  (cf.  Christ).  Jesus  may  have  had  a  thought  in  his  own 
mind  about  his  cross,  but  he  did  not  reveal  it. 

39.  Findeth  his  life  shall  lose  it.  Double  sense  of  "  life  " 
(earthly  life,  eternal  life). 

40.  Receiveth  me.  Christ  identifies  himself  with  his  dis- 
ciples. 

41.  In  the  name  of  a  prophet.  Just  because  he  bears  the  name 
of  a  prophet.  In  the  name  of  a  righteous  man.  Because  he 
bears  the  reputation  of  a  righteous  man. 

42.  One  of  these  little  ones.  A  term  of  endearment  for  the 
Apostles,  now  about  to  go  out  on  this  tour.  In  the  name  of  a 
disciple.     Because  one  is  a  disciple  of  Jesus. 

I.  An  end.  He  had  given  many  and  rather  minute  directions 
because  it  was  their  first  tour.  Jesus  wished  them  to  make  as  few 
mistakes  as  possible.  In  their  cities.  The  pronoun  naturally 
refers  to  the  cities  where  the  disciples  went.     In  Lk.  10 :  i  we  are 

147 


MATTHEW 


8.  John's  Appeal  to  Jesus,  11:2-19 

Now  when  John  heard  in  the  prison  the  works  of  the 
Christ,  he  sent  by  his  disciples,  and  said  unto  him, 
Art  thou  he  that  cometh,  or  look  we  for  another? 


expressly  told  in  the  case  of  the  seventy  that  Jesus  "  sent  them 
two  and  two  into  every  city  and  place  whither  he  himself  was 
about  to  come."  He  may  have  done  the  same  thing  here.  He 
would  then  be  able  to  judge  of  their  work.  Luke  gives  both  the 
mission  of  the  twelve  and  that  of  the  seventy. 

2.  When  John  heard.  The  disciples  of  John  told  him  all  of 
these  things  (Lk.  7:  18).  Mark  does  not  report  this  incident. 
Luke  and  Matthew  vary  in  details,  but  apparently  use  the 
Logia  (or  oral  tradition).  In  the  prison.  As  told  already  (Matt. 
4:12).  John  has  probably  been  in  prison  now  over  a  year. 
The  place  was  Machaerus  (Josephus,  Ant.  xviii.  5.  2.)  a  powerful 
fortress  east  of  the  upper  end  of  the  Dead  Sea,  now  held  by  Herod 
Antipas,  though  once  owned  by  Aretas,  king  of  Arabia.  Luke 
(7 :  18-35)  locates  the  event  here  told  after  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount  and  just  after  the  raising  of  the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nain. 
Matthew's  order  is  here  topical.  The  works.  They  had  now 
filled  all  Galilee  with  wonder.  The  daughter  of  Jairus  had  been 
raised  from  the  dead  and  now  the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nain. 
The  Christ.  The  Messiah.  Probably  the  use  of  this  title  oc- 
casioned the  embassy  of  John.  By  his  disciples.  He  still  had 
them  and  they  were  loyal  to  the  end  (Matt.  14:  12). 

3.  Art  thou  he  that  cometh.  The  "  coming  one  "  was  one  of 
the  descriptions  of  the  Messiah  (cf.  Ps.  118:26;  Dan.  7:13; 
Matt.  3:11;  Mk.  11:9;  Lk.  13:35;  Jn.  11:27).  The  doubt 
of  John  was  real,  not  affected.  It  was  not  disbelief,  but  a  natural 
beclouding  of  his  sky  due  to  his  long  imprisonment  and  inactivity, 
possibly  wonder  that  the  Messiah  should  allow  his  Forerunner  to 
languish  in  jail,  probably  also  confusion  in  the  reports  (partly 
tinged  with  jealousy  of  John's  disciples)  brought  to  him,  perhaps 
a  growing  indistinctness  in  John's  conception  of  how  the  Messiah 
should  conduct  himself.  One  need  not  wonder  at  depression  in 
John  when  he  finds  it  in  himself  and  even  in  the  Lord  Jesus  in 
moments  of  reaction  (cf.  Gethsemane).  Look  we  for  another. 
Popular  expectation  was  not  clear  as  to  one  or  more  Forerunners 
of  the  Messiah  (cf.  Jn.  i :  21-25  ;  Matt.  16 :  14).  John,  who  had 
once  been  a  bright  and  shining  light  for  others  (Jn.  5:35)  now 
called  for  further  light  himself,  as  Jesus  himself  will  appeal  to  his 
disciples  for  sympathy  (Matt.  26:  40). 

148 


MATTHEW 


4.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Go  your  way 
and  tell  John  the  things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see: 

5.  the  bUnd  receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk,  the 
lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  and  the  dead 
are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  good  tidings  preached 

6.  to  them.    And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  find  none 

7.  occasion  of  stumbUng  in  me.  And  as  these  went  their 
way,  Jesus  began  to  say  unto  the  multitudes  concern- 
ing John,  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  to 


4.  Go  your  way  and  tell.  Not  abrupt,  but  the  positive  tone  of 
confidence.  The  things  which  ye  do  see  and  hear.  Luke  (7  :  21) 
makes  the  matter  plainer  by  adding  that  in  that  very  hour  Jesus 
wrought  many  cures.  They  probably  heard  Jesus  teach  also. 
They  were  given  an  object  lesson  to  report  to  John,  who  could 
draw  his  own  conclusions  and  answer  his  own  doubt.  This  may 
have  been  merely  a  normal  day's  work  with  Jesus. 

5.  The  dead  are  raised  up.  The  words  may  mean  that  one 
who  was  dead  was  raised  on  the  occasion,  though  that  is  not  nec- 
essary. The  case  of  the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nain  was  very  recent. 
Luke  mentions  this  item  also.  The  poor  have  the  good  tidings 
preached  unto  them.  Mentioned  as  on  a  par  with  the  miracles, 
even  the  raising  of  the  dead,  a  terrible  indictment  of  the  subser- 
viency of  the  religious  teachers  to  the  wealthy  and  privileged 
classes.  This  was  a  Messianic  note  (cf.  Isa.  61:1)  as  Jesus  had 
himself  explained  (Lk.  4:  18-21),  and  was  in  full  accord  with 
John's  denunciation  of  ecclesiastical  pride  (Matt.  3:9).  The 
"  good  tidings  "  is  the  gospel. 

6.  Blessed  is  he.  A  beatitude  for  the  benefit  of  John  and  in 
the  nature  of  an  interpretation  and  a  rebuke.  Jesus  respects 
honest  doubt,  but  he  does  not  put  a  premium  on  it.  It  is  not  a 
sign  of  greater  intellectual  power  to  doubt.  George  J.  Romanes 
was  just  as  scientific  after  the  restoration  of  his  faith  as  during 
his  period  of  doubt,  more  so,  indeed,  for  he  had  learned  how  to  take 
note  of  new  phenomena  to  which  he  had  become  blind.  John 
had  allowed  himself  to  find  some  occasion  of  stumbling  in  Jesus, 
the  nature  of  which  is  not  clear. 

7.  The  multitudes.  So  also  Luke  (7:  24).  Probably  as  soon 
as  the  messengers  had  left.  It  is  Christ's  panegyric  on  John, 
while  he  was  still  living.  One  could  almost  wish  that  the  messen- 
gers had  heard  these  words  of  praise  so  as  to  bear  them  unto  John. 
They  may  have  come  to  him  before  his  death.     John  had  borne 

149 


MATTHEW 


8.  behold?  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind?  But  what 
went  ye  out  for  to  see  ?  a  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment  ? 
Behold,  they  that  wear  soft  raiment  are  in  kings' 

9.  houses.  But  wherefore  went  ye  out  ?  to  see  a  prophet? 
Yea,  I  say  unto  you,  and  much  more  than  a  prophet. 

10.  This  is  he,  of  whom  it  is  written, 

Behold,  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy  face, 
Who  shall  prepare  thy  way  before  thee, 

11.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Among  them  that  are  bom  of 
women  there  hath  not  arisen  a  greater  than  John  the 


noble  testimony  to  Jesus  (Matt.  3:11  f.  14  f . ;  Jn.  1:20-36; 
3  :  26-36).  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  to  behold?  It 
is  a  cause  for  gratitude  that  we  can  see  John  through  the  eyes  of 
Jesus.  Jesus  here  asks  the  multitude  three  questions.  This  is 
the  first.  The  comparison  of  John  to  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind 
is  a  powerful  picture  of  what  John  was  not.  The  question  is 
significant  at  the  very  time  of  John's  doubt. 

8.  But  what  went  ye  out  for  to  see?  The  second  sharp 
question.  The  soft  raiment  makes  a  vivid  contrast  to  John's 
well-known  dress. 

9.  But  wherefore  went  ye  out?  The  repetition  is  rhetorical 
and  climacteric  and  very  effective.  The  positive  side  now  stands 
out  against  the  negative  background.  He  was  a  prophet  indeed 
like  the  Old  Testament  prophets,  a  man  with  a  message  from  God 
and  all  on  fire  with  it.  Much  more  than  a  prophet.  This  is  the 
new  tribute  of  Jesus.  The  multitudes  took  John  as  a  prophet  at 
first.  How  is  he  "  much  more  "  ?  After  all,  the  prophet  could  be 
more  of  a  messenger  than  a  man.  This  was  not  true  of  John.  He 
was  both  a  man  and  a  prophet.  The  man  is  more  than  the 
prophet.     John  was  also  the  Forerunner. 

10.  This  is  he.  From  Mai.  3  :  i  and  not  exactly  like  either 
the  Hebrew  or  the  LXX.  Here  then  is  one  point  in  which  John  is 
more  than  the  average  prophet.  He  was  the  special  Forerunner 
of  the  Messiah.  This  was  John's  true  mission  and  his  inquiry 
concerned  it. 

11.  Hath  not  arisen  a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist.  An 
astonishing  statement  at  first.  People  have  diflFerent  standards 
of  human  greatness.  John  is  still  the  greatest,  though  in  prison. 
Evidently  character  is  the  idea  in  the  mind  of  Jesus.     It  is  a 

ISO 


MATTHEW 


Baptist :   yet  he  that  is  but  Httle  in  the  kingdom  of 

12.  heaven  is  greater  than  he.     And  from  the  days  of  John 
the  Baptist  until  now  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth 

13.  violence,  and  men  of  violence  take  it  by  force.    For 
all  the  prophets  and  the  law  prophesied  until  John. 

14.  And  if  ye  are  wilHng  to  receive  it,  this  is  Elijah,  which  R 

15.  is  to  come.    He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. 

16.  But  whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation?    It  is  Q 
like  unto  children  sitting  in  the  marketplaces,  which 


superlative  in  eflfect  though  the  comparative  form  is  used.  Leav- 
ing out  Jesus  himself  and  considering  only  the  essentials  of  char- 
acter, one  may  find  it  difl&cult  to  challenge  the  judgment  of  Jesus 
about  John.  But  little  in  the  kingdom.  A  more  astounding 
statement  still.  Evidently  Jesus  now  has  in  mind  not  character, 
but  position.  John  is  the  close  of  one  era  and  the  beginning  of 
a  new  one  (vs.  13).  He  stood  on  top  of  the  long  line  before  and  at 
the  bottom  of  those  in  the  new  line.  He  was  in  the  kingdom  as 
those  before  him  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  that  term.  In  the  sense 
of  the  kingdom  as  related  specifically  to  Christ,  its  beginning, 
development,  and  consummation,  he  was  merely  the  Herald. 
The  least  one  of  those  who  had  entered  into  this  new  order  was 
ahead  of  John  in  position  and  privilege. 

12.  From  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist  until  now.  It  is  not 
clear  whether  these  are  the  words  of  Jesus  or  of  the  Evangelist ; 
most  probably  of  Jesus.  If  so,  the  words  naturally  suggest  a  date 
after  the  death  of  John.  But  that  is  not  necessary,  since  Jesus 
may  have  considered  that  the  work  of  John  was  over  (as  it  had 
been  for  a  year  or  more).  He  may  have  used  "  days  "  in  that 
sense.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence.  A  difficult 
passage.  Jesus  hardly  has  in  mind  attacks  on  the  kingdom  by 
enemies,  but  rather  the  vehement  energy  of  those  who  press  on 
and  take  it  in  spite  of  difficulty.  "  Men  of  violence  "  may  be  an 
indirect  reflection  of  "  the  publicans  and  sinners  "  who  pushed 
ahead  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  into  the  kingdom. 

13.  Until  John.  These  words  put  John  upon  a  mountain  top. 
He  closed  the  old  era. 

14.  This  is  Elijah.  Not  in  person,  but  in  spirit,  and  the  one 
that  was  come.  No  contradiction  to  the  denial  of  John  that  he 
was  Elijah  himself  (Jn.  i :  21). 

15.  But  whereimto  shall  I  liken?  A  common  method  among 
the  rabbis  for  introducing  a   similitude   or  parable.     Children. 

151 


MATTHEW 


17.  call  unto  their  fellows,  and  say,  We  piped  unto  you, 
and  ye  did  not  dance,  we  wailed,  and  ye  did  not  mourn. 

18.  For  John  came  neither  eating  nor  drinking,  and  they 

19.  say.  He  hath  a  devil.  The  Son  of  man  came  eating 
and  drinking,  and  they  say.  Behold,  a  gluttonous  man, 
and  a  winebibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners ! 
And  wisdom  is  justified  by  her  works. 

9.  Jesus^s  Arraignment  of  the  Cities  of  Opportunity, 
II :  20-24 

20.  Then  began  he  to  upbraid  the  cities  wherein  most 
of  his  mighty  works  were  done,  because  they  repented 


Jesus  noticed  children  at  play.     These  are  bad  children  with  an 
ugly  spirit  in  play. 

17.  We  piped.  Playing  a  dance.  We  wailed.  Playing 
funeral.  They  will  not  play  either.  The  parable  applies  to  the 
Pharisees  in  particular,  though  the  Jews  as  a  whole  are  probably 
in  mind.  Luke  (7 :  29)  mentions  the  people's  indorsement  of 
what  Jesus  had  said  about  John  and  the  fact  that  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  had  rejected  John's  baptism  while  the  publicans  justi- 
fied God.  On  the  whole  this  indictment  of  the  Pharisees  probably 
points  to  the  same  general  occasion  just  after  the  departure  of 
John's  disciples. 

18.  John  came.  He  was  ascetic  in  habits.  Jesus  does  not 
condemn  or  approve  that  habit,  but  some  scribes  and  Pharisees 
(probably)  had  accused  John  of  being  possessed  of  a  demon. 

19.  The  Son  of  man.  Just  like  other  men  and  in  harmony 
with  this  title.  He  was  a  friend  of  the  publicans  and  sinners,  and 
he  was  not  ashamed  of  it.  But  Christ  was  not  a  glutton,  nor  a 
winebibber.  He  ate  a  greater  variety  of  food  than  John  and  on 
occasion  drank  the  wine  mixed  with  water,  which  was  about  like 
our  tea  and  coffee.  He  was  misrepresented,  as  John  was.  Is 
justified  by  her  works.  Luke  (7  :  35)  has  "  children,"  as  have 
many  documents  in  Matthew,  though  "  works  "  is  probably 
correct.  If  so,  the  idea  is  that  wisdom  is  justified  by  the  results. 
One  must  be  willing  and  able  to  stand  criticism  and  do  his  duty, 
leaving  the  results  with  God. 

20.  Then.  When?  Luke  gives  the  denunciation  of  these 
cities  in  the  discourse  to  the  Seventy  (10:12-15).     Did  Jesus 

152 


MATTHEW 


21.  not.  Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazin  !  woe  unto  thee,  Beth- 
saida  !  for  if  the  mighty  works  had  been  done  in  Tyre 
and  Sidon  which  were  done  in  you,  they  would  have 

22.  repented  long  ago  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  Howbeit 
I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and 

23.  Sidon  in  the  day  of  judgement,  than  for  you.  And 
thou,  Capernaum,  shalt  thou  be  exalted  unto  heaven  ? 
thou  shalt  go  down  unto  Hades:  for  if  the  mighty 
works  had  been  done  in  Sodom  which  were  done  in 

24.  thee,  it  would  have  remained  until  this  day.  How- 
beit I  say  unto  you,  that  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for 
the  land  of  Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgement,  than  for 
thee. 


repeat  it  or  is  it  not  possible  to  tell  who  has  given  the  real  histori- 
cal setting  (Matthew  or  Luke),  if  either  has  done  so?  There  is 
no  clear  answer.  Most.  Many  were  certainly  in  Capernaum  of 
which  we  have  no  record.  We  know  no  details  at  all  of  the  work 
in  the  other  two  cities.  Hence  the  "  most  "  comes  as  a  surprise. 
Mighty  works.  Miracles  looked  at  as  manifestations  of  power. 
Because  they  repented  not.  Even  Jesus  could  not  win  the  great 
cities  to  repentance.  Cf.  Jerusalem,  Nazareth,  Chorazin,  Beth- 
saida,  Capernaum,  as  cities  of  privilege.  They  praised  his  preach- 
ing and  kept  on  sinning. 

21.  Chorazin.  Not  otherwise  known  except  here  and  in 
Luke.  Bethsaida.  Cf.  Mk.  6  :  45  ;  8:22;  Lk.  9  :  10.  Probably 
the  one  in  Galilee  (home  of  Andrew,  Peter,  and  Philip,  Jn.  i :  44) 
near  Capernaum  is  meant  instead  of  Bethsaida  Julias  on  the  east 
side.  Tyre  and  Sidon.  Condemned  in  the  O.  T.  (Isa.  33 ;  Jer. 
25  ;  Ezek.  26).  Jesus  will  visit  these  regions  (Matt.  15  :  21-28). 
Sackcloth  and  ashes.     See  Jn.  3  :  6 ;  Isa.  58  :  5. 

22.  More  tolerable.  Bad  as  they  were.  So  the  Jews  will  be 
first  in  penalty  as  well  as  first  in  privilege  (Rom.  2  :  9  f.). 

23.  Capernaum.  The  home  of  Jesus  during  the  Galilean  work. 
Hades.  The  unseen  world  etymologically  without  definition  of 
heaven  or  hell.  But  sometimes  it  is  applied  solely  to  hell  (Ge- 
henna) as  in  Lk.  16  :  23  ;  Rev.  20 :  23  f.  So  here  it  is  contrasted 
with  heaven.  Sodom.  Famous  example  of  the  judgment  of  God. 
Cf.  10  :  15  ;  Luke  10:  12  ;  17  :  29;  Rom.  9  :  29 ;  2  Pet.  2:6;  Judey. 

24.  More  tolerable.     Climax  reached. 

153 


MATTHEW 


lo.   Christ's  Conception  of  His  Person  and  Worky  ii :  25-30 

Q  25.  At  that  season  Jesus  answered  and  said,  I  thank  thee, 
O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  didst 
hide  these  things  from  the  wise  and  understanding, 

26.  and  didst  reveal  them  unto  babes:   yea.  Father,  for 

27.  so  it  was  well-pleasing  in  thy  sight.  All  things  have 
been  deHvered  unto  me  of  my  Father:  and  no  one 
knoweth  the  Son,  save  the  Father,  neither  doth  any 
know  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever 

R  28.   the  Son  willeth  to  reveal  him.  '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye 


25.  At  that  season.  Luke  (10 :  2 1  f .)  puts  this  wonderful  prayer 
at  the  time  of  the  return  of  the  Seventy.  The  same  doubt  as  to 
its  real  position  exists  as  in  the  preceding  section.  But  both 
Gospels  testify  to  a  passage  which  might  have  been  taken  from 
the  Fourth  Gospel.  It  belongs  to  the  oldest  Synoptic  document, 
Q.  Evidently,  therefore,  this  type  of  teaching  is  genuine.  But 
this  mood  of  holy  communion  between  Jesus  and  his  Father  is 
a  most  signijScant  glimpse  into  his  consciousness.  It  is  not  that 
of  a  mere  man.  Answered  and  said.  A  common  idiom  for  reply. 
But  reply  to  whom?  It  is  to  the  Father.  Thank  thee.  This 
prayer  is  not  petition,  but  praise,  worship,  fellowship,  gratitude. 
From  the  wise  and  understanding.  Like  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees. Jesus  does  not  oppose  learning.  Far  from  it.  But  he 
does  scout  pretentious  learning  which  blinds  where  it  should  en- 
lighten. Unto  babes.  The  intellect  is  not  the  noblest  part  of 
man.  The  heart  is  of  more  value.  The  will  is  the  master  in 
man.  But  the  heart  has  more  power  over  the  will  than  the  in- 
tellect.    The  simple-minded  can  come  to  God. 

26.  For  it  was  well-pleasing.  The  good  pleasure  or  will  of 
God. 

27.  All  things.  This  claim  is  the  same  as  that  made  to  the 
disciples  after  the  resurrection  (Matt.  28:  18).  Jesus  is  sure  of 
his  relation  with  the  Father.  No  one.  The  terms  "  the  Son," 
"  the  Father  "  are  like  the  language  of  John's  Gospel  (cf.  Ch.  5). 
The  Father  understands  Jesus  at  any  rate.  This  is  enough. 
Neither.  The  other  side.  This  is  the  purpose  of  the  Incarnation, 
to  reveal  the  Father  (Jn.  i :  18).  The  Son  is  competent.  He  to 
whomsoever.     The  choice  is  in  the  will  of  the  Son. 

28.  Come  imto  me.     Alone  in  Matthew,  but  in  the  same  strain 

154 


MATTHEW 


that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 

29.  rest.     Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me ;  for 
I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart :  and  ye  shall  find  rest 

30.  unto  your  souls.     For  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden 
is  Hght. 

II.  Growing  Opposition  to  Jesus,  12:1-50 

12.       At  that  season  Jesus  went  on  the  sabbath  day  M 
through  the  cornfields;    and  his  disciples  were  an 
hungred,  and  began  to  pluck  ears  of  corn,  and  to  eat. 

as  the  preceding  verses.  Jesus  makes  his  appeal  as  the  sole  in- 
terpreter of  the  Father.  I  will  give.  The  same  consciousness. 
Observe  the  harmony  in  the  mind  of  Jesus  between  elective  grace 
on  his  part  and  voluntary  action  on  our  part. 

29.  My  yoke.  A  frequent  figure  in  connection  with  the  law. 
In  Sirach  51 :  25  it  is  a  figure  for  instruction.  Jesus  invites  men 
to  come  to  school  to  him.  Learn  of  me.  About  the  Father. 
For  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart.  This  greatest  of  all  teachers. 
He  is  approachable  and  winsome.  Find  rest  unto  your  souls. 
About  God.  Jesus  does  not  promise  intellectual  rest,  but  soul 
rest.     Jesus  knew  toil  of  body  and  mind. 

30.  For  my  yoke  is  easy.  The  rabbis  called  the  yoke  of  the  law 
heavy.  It  was  a  burden  no  one  could  bear.  Jesus  makes  de- 
mands that  are  light  in  comparison.  His  service  is  a  real  yoke 
(cf.  Sermon  on  the  Mount),  but  principles  do  not  gall  like  rules. 

(i)  Controversy  over  the  Sabbath,  1-14 

I.  At  that  season,  A  vague  allusion  (Matthew  usually  has 
"  then,"  vaguer  still)  not  connecting  with  the  events  in  Chapter 
II.  The  section  is  not  in  chronological  position.  The  mention  of 
"  cornfields  "  shows  that  the  time  was  in  the  spring  between  pass- 
over  and  pentecost.  That  brings  the  incidents  near  one  of  the 
passovers  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus.  It  cannot  be  the  one  in  Jn. 
2  :  23  nor  the  last  one.  It  must  be  either  after  the  passover  in 
Jn.  6 :  4  or  after  a  passover  not  mentioned.  It  is  possible  that 
the  feast  in  Jn.  5  :  i  is  a  passover,  but  not  certain.  If  there  is  an 
unnamed  passover  the  ministry  of  Jesus  lasted  about  three  and  a 
half  years.  The  sabbath  day.  A  short  walk  was  not  a  violation 
of  the  Sabbath  rules.  Cornfields.  Wheatfields.  Pluck.  It 
was  not  considered  stealing  (Deut.  23:  25). 

15s 


MATTHEW 


2.  But  the  Pharisees,  when  they  saw  it,  said  unto  him, 
Behold,  thy  disciples  do  that  which  it  is  not  lawful  to 

3.  do  upon  the  sabbath.  But  he  said  unto  them.  Have 
ye  not  read  what  David  did,  when  he  was  an  hungred, 

4.  and  they  that  were  with  him;  how  he  entered  into 
the  house  of  God,  and  did  eat  the  shewbread,  which 
it  was  not  lawful  for  him  to  eat,  neither  for  them  that 

5.  were  with  him,  but  only  for  the  priests  ?  Or  have  ye 
not  read  in  the  law,  how  that  on  the  sabbath  day  the 
priests  in  the  temple  profane  the  sabbath,  and  are 

6.  guiltless  ?    But  I  say  unto  you,  that  one  greater  than 


2.  Pharisees.  On  hand  either  accidentally  or  on  purpose. 
Not  lawful.  The  rubbing  of  the  heads  of  wheat  in  the  hands  was 
considered  by  them  to  be  threshing  and  so  "  work."  Cf.  Lk.  6:1, 
"  rubbing  them."  "  Reaping  "  on  the  Sabbath  is  forbidden  in  the 
Talmud. 

3.  What  David  did.  Jesus  makes  a  formal  defence  of  the  con- 
duct of  the  disciples.  The  occasion  was  a  very  slight  one,  but 
the  matter  of  Sabbath  observance  was  (and  is)  a  very  important 
one.  Christ  differed  very  widely  from  the  Pharisees  on  this  sub- 
ject. It  will  come  up  on  various  future  occasions.  All  the  argu- 
ments used  by  Jesus  turn  on  the  real  significance  of  the  day  as  one 
of  rest  and  worship.  It  is  not  meant  to  be  a  bondage,  but  a  bless- 
ing. Jesus  cares  less  for  mere  rules  and  more  for  real  worship. 
The  day  is  the  servant,  not  the  master  of  man.  The  Pharisees  had 
added  so  many  hair-splitting  regulations  that  Jesus  appears  as 
the  emancipator  of  the  human  spirit.  To-day  the  tendency  is 
toward  undue  license  on  Sunday.  Hence  one  needs  to  put  the 
accent  now  on  stricter  observance  while  avoiding  the  bondage  of 
rules.  The  change  from  the  Jewish  Sabbath  to  the  Christian  Sun- 
day belongs  to  the  apostolic  times.  But  the  spirit  for  the 
observance  of  both  is  outlined  here  by  Jesus.  In  the  case  of 
David  appeal  is  to  an  historical  example  where  necessity  over- 
came the  rules  of  worship. 

5.  In  the  law.  An  example  from  the  law  about  the  temple,. 
The  priests  were  indeed  commanded  to  work  on  the  Sabbath.  So 
to-day  preachers  and  Sunday-school  teachers  really  work  on 
Sunday.  The  point  here  is  that  David  was  not  held  guilty  nor 
the  priests.  Worship  of  God  is  more  important  than  the  rules 
about  the  temple. 


MATTHEW 


7.  the  temple  is  here.     But  if  ye  had  known  what  this  Ho 
meaneth,  I  desire  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice,  ye  would 

8.  not  have  condemned  the  guiltless.     For  the  Son  of  M 
man  is  lord  of  the  sabbath. 

9.  And  he  departed  thence,  and  went  into  their  syna- 

10.  gogue:  and  behold,  a  man  having  a  withered  hand. 
And  they  asked  him,  saying.  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the 

11.  sabbath  day?  that  they  might  accuse  him.  And  he 
said  unto  them.  What  man  shall  there  be  of  you,  that 
shall  have  one  sheep,  and  if  this  fall  into  a  pit  on  the 
sabbath  day,  will  he  not  lay  hold  on  it,  and  lift  it  out  ? 

12.  How  much  then  is  a  man  of  more  value  than  a  sheep  ! 
Wherefore  it  is  lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath  day. 

6.  One  greater  than  the  temple.  A  claim  not  likely  to  soothe 
the  feelings  of  the  Pharisees. 

7.  What  this  meaneth.  A  charge  that  they  were  ignorant  of 
the  prophecy.  The  quotation  (Hos.  6 :  6)  was  made  once  before 
(Matt.  9 :  13)  against  the  Pharisees.  Jesus  probably  quoted 
favorite  passages  many  times.  Ever  in  the  O.  T.  the  real  worship 
was  more  important  than  the  forms  of  worship.  This  the  Phari- 
sees did  not  understand.  This  argument  is  from  prophecy  (cf. 
history). 

8.  The  Son  of  man.  As  the  Son  of  man  Christ  claims  power 
to  make  rules  about  the  Sabbath  different  from  those  in  the  O.  T., 
if  he  should  wish  to  do  so.  He  makes  no  reference  to  the  abolition 
of  the  Sabbath.  That  indeed  did  not  come  to  pass.  It  was  only 
the  distinctly  Jewish  aspects  of  the  Sabbath  that  disappeared 
when  Christianity  embraced  Gentiles  (Col.  2:  16).  The  merely 
ceremonial  vanished ;   the  spiritual  and  moral  remained. 

9.  Their  synagogue.  That  of  his  enemies,  the  Pharisees. 
Luke  (6 :  6)  explains  that  it  is  another  Sabbath  on  which  this 
took  place. 

10.  A  withered  hand.  Probably  paralysis.  They  asked  him. 
They  challenge  Christ  before  he  performs  the  cure.  They  were  on 
the  watch  for  Jesus  (Lk.  6:7).  Their  looks  betrayed  their  motive 
before  they  spoke. 

11.  One  sheep.  A  pet  sheep,  for  instance.  The  parable  is 
unanswerable  in  its  pith. 

12.  A  man.  Jesus  often  accents  the  spiritual  worth  of  man. 
It  is  lawful.     Mark  (3  :  4)  and  Luke  (6  :  9)  give  a  question  and  add 


MATTHEW 


13.  Then  saith  he  to  the  man,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand. 
And  he  stretched  it  forth ;   and  it  was  restored  whole, 

14.  as  the  other.     But  the  Pharisees  went  out,  and  took 
counsel  against  him,  how  they  might  destroy  him. 

15.  And  Jesus  perceiving  it  withdrew  from  thence:   and 

16.  many  followed  him;    and  he  healed  them  all,  and 
charged  them  that  they  should  not  make  him  known : 

R  17.   that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  Isaiah 

the  prophet,  saying, 
-4    18.       Behold,  my  servant  whom  I  have  chosen ; 

My  beloved  in  whom  my  soul  is  well  pleased  : 
I  will  put  my  Spirit  upon  him, 
And  he  shall  declare  judgement  to  the  Gentiles. 
19.       He  shall  not  strive,  nor  cry  aloud; 

"  or  to  do  harm."     Mark  mentions  also  the  look  of  anger  which 
Jesus  gave  his  enemies  for  their  petty  challenge, 

13,  Then  saith  he.  In  open  defiance  and  scorn  of  the  Phari- 
sees. 

14,  Pharisees  went  out.  To  show  their  indignation  and  to 
plot  revenge.     Murder  is  in  their  hearts. 

(2)   Secrecy  enjoined  about  the  Miracles,  15-21 

15,  Perceiving  it.  The  plot  between  the  Pharisees  and  the 
Herodians  (Mk,  3:6),  new  companions  by  reason  of  their  hatred 
of  Jesus,     Jesus  moved  on  to  other  towns. 

16,  Not  make  him  known.  Because  of  the  Pharisees  and  Hero- 
dians. 

17,  By  Isaiah  the  prophet  (Isa.  42:  1-4).  Alone  in  Matthew. 
Not  from  the  LXX.  May  be  translation  from  the  Hebrew  or 
another  Greek  version, 

18,  My  servant.  The  servant  of  Jehovah  is  taken  in  the  full 
Messianic  sense,  whatever  other  historical  reference  is  contem- 
plated in  Isaiah,  My  beloved,  Cf.  Matt,  3:17,  where  the  sen- 
tence is  quoted  as  Messianic,  Cf,  Eph.  i  :  4-6,  My  Spirit. 
The  O.  T,  teaches  the  existence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  To  the  Gen- 
tiles. The  rabbis  had  overlooked  the  frequent  reference  to  the 
Gentiles  in  the  prophets, 

19,  Not  strive.  Passive  conqueror,  just  the  opposite  to  the 
common  idea  of  the  Messiah. 

158 


MATTHEW 


Neither  shall  any  one  hear  his  voice  in  the  streets. 

20.  A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break, 

And  smoking  flax  shall  he  not  quench, 
Till  he  send  forth  judgement  unto  victory. 

21.  And  in  his  name  shall  the  Gentiles  hope. 

22.  Then  was  brought  unto  him  one  possessed  with  a 
devil,  blind  and  dumb :  and  he  healed  him,  insomuch 

23.  that  the  dumb  man  spake  and  saw.  And  all  the  mul- 
titudes were  amazed,  and  said.  Is  this  the  son  of 

24.  David  ?  But  when  the  Pharisees  heard  it,  they  said, 
This  man  doth  not  cast  out  devils,  but  by  Beelzebub 

25.  the  prince  of  the  devils.  And  knowing  their  thoughts 
he  said  unto  them,  Every  kingdom  divided  against 
itself  is  brought  to  desolation ;  and  every  city  or  house 

26.  divided  against  itself  shall  not  stand:  and  if  Satan 
casteth  out  Satan,  he  is  divided  against  himself ;  how 


20.  A  bruised  reed.  Picture  of  compassion.  Smoking  flax. 
The  smoking  lamp  wick. 

(3)   Charged  with  Connection  with  Beelzebub,  22-37 

22.  One  possessed  with  a  devil.  Another  occasion  and  later 
in  the  ministry  according  to  Mk.  3  :  19-23. 

23.  Is  this  the  son  of  David?  The  Messiah.  The  people 
were  drawing  their  conclusions  and  expressing  them. 

24.  When  the  Pharisees  heard  it.  They  were  determined  to 
destroy  Christ's  influence  with  the  people.  By  Beelzebub.  The 
etymology  and  spelling  of  the  word  are  uncertain,  and  also  the  being 
meant.  But  since  Jesus  mentions  Satan  in  vs.  26,  it  seems  that 
the  devil  is  designed.  He  is  the  prince  of  the  demons.  This 
charge  has  been  made  before  (Matt.  9  :  34).  Mark  (3  :  22)  repre- 
sents the  scribes  as  saying  that  Jesus  himself  had  Beelzebub  (cf. 
Jn.  7:  20;  8 :  48,  52).  In  essence  the  charge  is  that  Jesus  is  in 
league  with  the  devil.     The  fact  of  his  miracles  is  admitted. 

25.  Knowing  their  thoughts.  A  point  frequently  made  about 
the  knowledge  of  Jesus.  Every  kingdom.  First  of  various  brief 
parables  used  here  (Mk.  3  :  23).     Every  city.     The  second  parable. 

26.  If  Satan.     Another  parable. 

159 


MATTHEW 


Q   27.   then  shall  his  kingdom  stand  ?    And  if  I  by  Beelzebub 
cast  out  devils,  by  whom  do  your  sons  cast  them  out  ? 

28.  therefore  shall  they  be  your  judges.  But  if  I  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  cast  out  devils,  then  is  the  kingdom  of 

29.  God  come  upon  you.  Or  how  can  one  enter  into  the 
house  of  the  strong  man^  and  spoil  his  goods,  except 
he  first  bind  the  strong  man  ?   and  then  he  will  spoil 

30.  his  house.     He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me ;  and 
M  31.   he  that  gathereth  not  with  me  scattereth.     Therefore 

I  say  unto  you,  Every  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  for- 
given unto  men ;  but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Spirit 
32.  shall  not  be  forgiven.  And  whosoever  shall  speak  a 
word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him ; 
but  whosoever  shall  speak  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  it 
shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  nor 

27.  If  I  by  Beelzebub.  For  the  sake  of  argument  assumed  as 
true.  By  whom  do  your  sons.  Argumentiim  ad  hominem.  The 
Jews  practised  exorcism  (Acts  19:13).  Jesus  does  not  neces- 
sarily admit  the  reality  of  such  cures.  The  argument  is  effective 
and  conclusive,  a  reductio  ad  absurdum. 

28.  Then  is  the  kingdom  of  God  come  upon  you.  The  other 
alternative,  the  interpretation  that  Jesus  puts  upon  his  miracles, 
and  the  logical  conclusion  from  this  premise.  He  does  not  mean 
that  the  Pharisees  are  in  the  kingdom,  but  that  they  witness  the 
power  of  the  kingdom  as  a  present  reality.  This  is  not  the  es- 
chatological  aspect  of  the  kingdom. 

29.  The  house  of  the  strong  man.  Another  parable.  Cf.  Isa. 
49 :  24-26. 

30.  He  that  is  not  with  me.  Cf.  Lk.  12:  23.  The  impossi- 
bility of  neutrality  is  put  conversely  in  Mk.  9 :  40 ;   Lk-  9  '•  SO- 

31.  The  blasphemy  against  the  Spirit.  It  is  plain  from  the 
context  that  this  sin  consisted  in  attributing  to  the  agency  of  the 
devil  the  works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  sin  will  not  be  forgiven. 
These  Pharisees  had  committed  it. 

32.  Speak  against  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  blasphemy.  Neither 
in  this  world,  nor  in  that  which  is  to  come.  "  An  eternal  sin  " 
(Mk,  3  :  29).  The  language  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  other 
sins  have  a  chance  of  forgiveness  in  the  next  world,  though  in  itself 
it  might  bear  that  interpretation  if  other  scriptures  demanded  it. 

160 


MATTHEW 


33.  in  that  which  is  to  come.  Either  make  the  tree  good, 
and  its  fruit  good ;   or  make  the  tree  corrupt,  and  its 

34.  fruit  corrupt :  for  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit.  Ye 
offspring  of  vipers,  how  can  ye,  being  evil,  speak  good 
things?    for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the 

35.  mouth  speaketh.  The  good  man  out  of  his  good 
treasure  bringeth  forth  good  things :  and  the  evil  man 

36.  out  of  his  evil  treasure  bringeth  forth  evil  things.  And 
I  say  unto  you,  that  every  idle  word  that  men  shall 
speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of 

37.  judgement.  For  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified, 
and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemned. 

38.  Then  certain  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  answered 
him,  saying.  Master,  we  would  see  a  sign  from  thee. 


But  such  is  not  the  case.  Jesus  was  a  man  and  there  was,  he 
apparently  admits,  some  excuse  for  those  who  could  see  only  a 
man  in  him.  Hence  abuse  of  the  Son  of  man  is  not  unpardonable 
upon  repentance.  Men  wonder  if  the  unpardonable  sin  can  be 
committed  now.  Why  not,  if  one  to-day  attributes  the  manifest 
work  of  the  Spirit  to  the  devil?     Cf.  i  Jn.  5  :  16. 

33.  Ye  offspring  of  vipers.  Cf.  John  the  Baptist  (Matt. 
3:7).  They  have  committed  the  unpardonable  sin  and  no  more 
good  was  to  be  expected  of  them. 

3  5 .  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart.  The  mouth  reveals  the 
heart. 

35.  Out  of  his  good  treasure.  Another  parable.  These  brief 
parables  come  just  before  the  great  group  in  ch.  13. 

36.  Every  idle  word.     Speech  was  not  held  as  a  light  matter. 

37.  By  thy  words.  Because  words  reveal  thoughts,  and 
thoughts  reveal  character. 

(4)    Scribes  and  Pharisees  demand  a  Sign,  38-45 

38.  Master,  we  would  see  a  sign  from  thee.  This  section 
occurs  substantially  in  Lk.  11,  unless  it  is  a  repetition  at  another 
time.  Hence  the  same  Pharisees  seem  to  come  back  at  Jesus  in  a 
more  respectful  tone,  but  with  the  same  hostile  purpose.  They 
either  demand  that  Jesus  work  a  sign  under  their  inspection,  or,  as 
is  more  probable,  an  unusual  sign,  one  from  heaven  (Matt.  16 :  i) 

M  161 


MATTHEW 


39.  But  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  An  evil  and 
adulterous  generation  seeketh  after  a  sign ;  and  there 
shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it  but  the  sign  of  Jonah  the 

40.  prophet :  for  as  Jonah  was  three  days  and  three  nights 
in  the  belly  of  the  whale,  so  shall  the  Son  of  man  be 
three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of  the  earth. 

41.  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  stand  up  in  the  judgement 
with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it :  for  they 
repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonah;    and  behold,  a 

42.  greater  than  Jonah  is  here.  The  queen  of  the  south 
shall  rise  up  in  the  judgement  with  this  generation, 
and  shall  condemn  it :  for  she  came  from  the  ends  of 


like  the  manna  or  a  portent  in  the  sky.     The  miracles  of  healing 
they  attributed  to  the  devil. 

39.  An  evil  and  adulterous  generation.  For  proof  of  the 
wickedness  of  the  age,  see  Josephus,  War,  V,  10,  5,  etc.  But  the 
sign  of  Jonah.  This  sign  had  been  promised  already.  Jesus  here 
appeals  to  the  chief  proof  of  his  claims,  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead.  This  sign  he  had  given  his  challengers  in  parabolic  form  at 
the  beginning  (Jn.  2  :  19).  He  gives  it  again  by  a  Scripture  paral- 
lel. Jesus  does  not  say  that  there  was  a  designed  type  in  this 
experience  of  Jonah  nor  that  the  experience  of  Jonah  was  a  sign 
to  the  people  of  Nineveh.  He  merely  uses  it  to  illustrate  his  point. 
The  Pharisees  did  not,  of  course,  see  the  point  in  this  "  sign."  But 
cf.  Matt.  27  :  63  f. 

40.  Three  days  and  three  nights.  A  day  and  night  is  just 
another  way  of  speaking  of  a  day  of  twenty-four  hours.  But  it 
need  not  be  the  full  twenty-four  hours,  though  it  may  be.  Whale. 
Big  fish.  The  word  does  not  have  to  mean  "  whale."  So  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be.  This  is  the  sign  given  to  the  Pharisees,  the 
death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus.  Christ  does  not  say  that  he  will 
be  seventy-two  hours  in  the  grave.  The  language  is  popular. 
If,  as  many  critical  scholars  hold,  vs.  40  is  an  addition  by  some 
later  hand,  the  "  sign  of  Jonah  "  could  be  in  that  case  his  preach- 
ing and  call  to  repentance. 

41.  Repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonah.  Whereas  the  Phari- 
sees are  finding  fault  with  Jesus.  A  greater  than  Jonah  is  here. 
Jesus  does  not  hesitate  to  make  implicit  claims  of  Messiahship, 
though  avoiding  the  term  itself. 

42.  The  queen  of  the  south.     Cf.  Kgs.  10:  i.     The  Queen  of 

162 


MATTHEW 


the  earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon ;  and  behold, 

43.  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here.  But  the  unclean 
spirit,  when  he  is  gone  out  of  the  man,  passeth  through 
waterless  places,   seeking   rest,   and  findeth  it   not. 

44.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house  whence  I 
came  out ;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  findeth  it  empty, 

45.  swept,  and  garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh 
with  himself  seven  other  spirits  more  evil  than  himself, 
and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there :  and  the  last  state 
of  that  man  becometh  worse  than  the  first.  Even 
so  shall  it  be  also  unto  this  evil  generation. 

46.  While  he  was  yet  speaking  to  the  multitudes,  behold, 
his  mother  and  his  brethren  stood  without,  seeking  to 


Slieba.  The  wisdom  of  Solomon.  Not  the  book  of  that  name, 
but  the  wisdom  of  the  man.  A  greater  than  Solomon.  Their 
attacks  had  compelled  Christ  to  defend  himself  by  counter  attacks 
on  them  for  their  conduct. 

43.   The  imclean  spirit.     Another  parable. 

45.  More  evil  than  himself.  Degrees  of  evil  even  among  the 
demons,  then.  The  last  state.  The  point  lies  in  the  applica- 
tion, "  Even  so  shall  it  be  unto  this  evil  generation." 

(5)   Family  of  Jesus  come  after   Him,  46-50 

46.  While.  So  Matthew  makes  this  incident  follow  at  once. 
His  mother  and  his  brethren.  Mark  (3:21)  tells  that  "his 
friends  "  had  come  to  lay  hold  of  Jesus  on  the  ground  that  "  he  is 
beside  himself."  "  The  friends  "  are  probably  "  his  mother  and 
brethren,"  with  perhaps  some  of  their  special  friends.  Mark 
(3:  31)  adds  that  they  stand  without  after  the  blasphemous  ac- 
cusation, "  calling  him."  Perhaps  they  did  not  wish  to  make  a 
scene  inside.  It  is  pathetic  to  see  Jesus  charged  by  the  rabbis 
with  being  in  league  with  the  devil  and  suspected  of  insanity  by 
his  home  folks.  Joseph  is  probably  dead.  The  brothers  and 
sisters  of  Jesus  may  be  excused  for  lack  of  knowledge.  But  what 
about  Mary  his  mother?  Recall  the  doubt  of  John  the  Baptist. 
But  Mary  had  not  necessarily  lost  faith  in  him.  She  had  no  real 
sympathy  at  home  in  her  faith  in  her  son,  and  he  may  not  have 
carried  on  his  Messianic  work  as  she  had  possibly  expected.     The 

163 


MATTHEW 


47.  speak  to  him.  And  one  said  unto  him,  Behold,  thy 
mother  and  thy  brethren  stand  without,  seeking  to 

48.  speak  to  thee.  But  he  answered  and  said  unto  him 
that  told  him.  Who  is  my  mother  ?   and  who  are  my 

49.  brethren  ?  And  he  stretched  forth  his  hand  towards 
his  disciples,  and  said,  Behold,  my  mother  and  my 

50.  brethren !  For  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven,  he  is  my  brother,  and  sister, 
and  mother. 

12.   A  New  Method  of  Teaching,  13:1-52 

M  13.       On  that  day  went  Jesus  out  of  the  house,  and  sat  by 

2.  the  sea  side.     And  there  were  gathered  unto  him  great 
multitudes,  so  that  he  entered  into  a  boat,  and  sat; 

3.  and  all  the  multitude  stood  on  the  beach.     And  he 
spake  to  them  many  things  in  parables,  saying,  Be- 

strain  she  thinks  may  have  been  too  great  for  him  and  a  rest  would 
do  him  good. 

48.  Who  is  my  mother?  Who,  indeed,  if  Mary  now  thinks 
him  insane? 

49.  Behold  my  mother,  etc.  Spiritual  fellowship  which  he 
had  lost  at  home. 

50.  Do  the  will  of  my  Father.  In  Jn.  2  :  4,  Jesus  had  shown 
the  wide  circle  of  his  mission.  He  here  expands  it  further.  Note 
"  sister  "  also. 

(i)    Four  Parables  to  the  Crowds  by  the  Sea  Side,  1-35 

1.  On  that  day.  Continuation  of  the  same  busy  day.  Out  of 
the  house.  Where  the  blasphemous  accusations  had  taken  place. 
Sat  by  the  sea  side.  For  rest  and  change  from  the  house  where 
he  had  been  misunderstood  by  friend  and  foe.  No  poet  has  ever 
loved  nature  more  than  did  Jesus. 

2.  Great  multitudes.  Apparently  near  Capernaum  or  some 
other  large  town.  Entered  into  a  boat  and  sat.  The  usual  atti- 
tude in  teaching.  Stood  on  the  beach.  Yet  all  could  see  and 
hear  as  he  was  a  little  way  out. 

3.  In  parables.  Not  the  first  time  by  any  means.  See  the 
short  parables  in  Ch.  12,  the  salt  and  the  light  (5:  13-16),  the 

164 


MATTHEW 


4.  hold,  the  sower  went  forth  to  sow ;  and  as  he  sowed, 
some  seeds  fell  by  the  way  side,  and  the  birds  came  and 

5.  devoured  them :  and  others  fell  upon  the  rocky  places, 
where  they  had  not  much  earth:  and  straightway 
they  sprang  up,  because  they  had  no  deepness  of  earth  ; 

birds  and  the  lilies  (6:  26-30),  the  two  'ways  and  the  two  gates 
(7 :  13  f.),  the  two  kinds  of  fruit  (7 :  15-20),  the  two  builders 
(7:24-27),  the  three  parables  about  fasting  (9:15-17),  the 
children  at  play  (11:  16  f.).  There  were  most  certainly  many 
other  parables  used  by  Jesus  on  many  occasions.  It  was  a  very 
common  method  of  illustration  in  the  teaching  of  the  rabbis. 
The  meaning  of  parable  is  to  put  alongside,  to  run  parallel.  A 
spiritual  or  moral  truth  is  set  forth  in  narrative,  simile,  proverb, 
any  illustration  that  throws  light  on  the  point.  The  parable  may 
be  short  or  long.  It  need  not  be  an  actual  fact,  but  it  must  be 
possible  and  so  unlike  fable.  The  allegory  is  a  self-explanatory 
parable  (cf.  The  Good  Shepherd  in  John  10).  The  parables  of 
Jesus  surpass  all  others  in  the  world  in  beauty  and  point.  His 
parables  each  illustrate  one  central  thought.  The  details  may  or 
may  not  have  an  application.  Where  Jesus  has  not  explained 
the  parable  one  must  be  chary  about  stressing  the  details  (cf.  the 
Unjust  Judge,  the  Thief  in  the  Night,  etc.).  Matthew  has  an- 
other group  of  parables  in  Chs.  21-22.  Luke  has  a  group  in  Chs. 
15-18.  The  parables  of  Jesus  all  have  to  do  with  the  kingdom 
(or  the  King).  They  present  the  general  workings  of  the  king- 
dom as  the  personal  experience  of  one  who  enters  the  kingdom. 
The  particular  reason,  as  explained  by  Jesus  (vs.  13),  for  so  many 
parables  on  this  occasion  is  the  hostility  of  the  Pharisees.  This 
reason  argues  for  the  unity  of  the  group  here  given,  especially  as 
Matthew  notes  the  movements  of  Jesus  to  and  from  the  sea.  He 
may  have  grouped  here  parables  spoken  on  various  occasions, 
but  that  is  not  likely.  The  seven  given  by  Matthew  are  not  all. 
Mark  (4 :  26-29)  gives  another  and  adds  that  "  many  such  para- 
bles "  Jesus  spoke.  There  is  nothing  to  be  made  out  of  the  num- 
ber seven  or  eight.  There  were  likely  many  others.  But  the 
seven  (or  eight)  that  are  preserved  show  in  a  wonderful  way  the 
progress  of  the  kingdom.  They  fall  into  four  pairs :  The  Sower 
and  the  Seed  growing  of  itself  (Mark),  the  Tares  and  the  Net, 
the  Mustard  Seed  and  the  Leaven,  the  Treasure  and  the  Pearl  of 
Great  Price.  How  they  supplement  each  other  can  be  best  shown 
after  the  exposition. 

3.   The  sower.     The  Parable  of  the  Sower.     A  common  sight. 
One  may  have  just  passed. 

I6S 


MATTHEW 


6.  and  when  the  sun  was  risen,  they  were  scorched ;  and 

7.  because  they  had  no  root,  they  withered  away.    And 
others  fell  upon  the  thorns ;   and  the  thorns  grew  up, 

8.  and  choked  them:    and  others  fell  upon  the  good 
ground,  and  yielded  fruit,  some  a  hundred  fold,  some 

9.  sixty,  some  thirty.     He  that  hath  ears,  let  him  hear. 

10.  And  the  disciples  came,  and  said  unto  him.  Why 

11.  speakest  thou  unto  them  in  parables?  And  he  an- 
swered and  said  unto  them.  Unto  you  it  is  given  to 
know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to 

12.  them  it  is  not  given.  For  whosoever  hath,  to  him 
shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  abundance:  but 
whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away 

13.  even  that  which  he  hath.  Therefore  speak  I  to  them 
in  parables ;  because  seeing  they  see  not,  and  hearing 

14.  they  hear  not,  neither  do  they  understand.  And  unto 
them  is  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  which  saith, 

9.  He  that  hath  ears.  To  understand  what  Jesus  has  just 
said. 

10.  The  disciples  came.  They  had  not  understood.  Why. 
It  was  a  new  departure  for  Jesus  to  use  parables  of  such  length. 
In  parables.     Apparently  he  had  spoken  more  than  this  one. 

11.  Unto  you  it  is  given.  Jesus  assumes  that  the  disciples 
have  spiritual  insight  to  understand.  They  ought  to  have  had  it 
after  so  much  instruction  from  him. 

12.  For  whosoever  hath.     The  law  of  life  in  grace  as  in  nature. 

13.  Therefore  speak  I  unto  them  in  parables.  As  a  penalty. 
The  blasphemous  accusation  had  come  that  day.  Jesus  veils  his 
teaching  so  that  the  discerning  understand  and  the  blindly  prej- 
udiced could  not  quibble.  Besides  the  people  would  remember 
the  story  and  might  some  day  see  the  point  of  it.  By  means  of 
parables  Jesus  could  get  a  hearing  with  an  unsympathetic  audi- 
ence and  send  shafts  of  truth  home  to  those  who  otherwise  might 
not  listen. 

14.  Is  fidfilled.  Not  the  usual  formula.  No  design  is  there 
asserted.  This  quotation  is  attributed  to  Jesus.  The  prophecy 
of  Isaiah.  Isa.  6 :  9  f .  and  from  the  LXX.  It  is  extremely  per- 
tinent. 

166 


MATTHEW 


By  hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  in  no  wise  under-    . 
stand ; 

And  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall  in  no  wise  per- 
ceive : 

For  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross, 

And  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing, 

And  their  eyes  they  have  closed ; 

Lest  haply  they  should  perceive  with  their  eyes, 

And  hear  with  their  ears, 

And  understand  with  their  heart, 

And  should  turn  again, 

And  I  should  heal  them. 
But  blessed  are  your  eyes,  for  they  see ;  and  your  ears,  Q 
for  they  hear.     For  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  many 
prophets  and  righteous  men  desired  to  see  the  things 
which  ye  see,  and  saw  them  not ;  and  to  hear  the  things 
which  ye  hear,  and  heard  them  not.     Hear  then  ye  M 
the  parable  of  the  sower.     When  any  one  heareth  the 
word  of  the  kingdom,  and  understandeth  it  not,  then 
Cometh  the  evil  one,  and  snatcheth  away  that  which 
hath  been  sown  in  his  heart.    This  is  he  that  was 
sown  by  the  way  side.    And  he  that  was  sown  upon 
the  rocky  places,  this  is  he  that  heareth  the  word,  and 


1 6.   But  blessed  are  your  eyes.     Those  of  the  disciples. 

1 8.  Hear  then.  He  gives  the  explanation  for  the  benefit  of  the 
multitude  and  the  disciples. 

19.  This  is  he.  Here  the  figure  is  purposely  changed  from  the 
seed  sown  to  the  soil  in  which  the  seed  is  sown.  The  seed  is  the 
same  each  time.  There  are  four  kinds  of  soil,  four  kinds  of  hearers 
of  the  word,  for  the  seed  is  the  Word  of  God  (Lk.  8 :  11),  "the 
word  of  the  Kingdom."  This  soil  is  by  the  way  side.  The  chief 
point  of  this  parable  is  therefore  the  various  results  from  the 
preaching  of  the  word. 

20.  He  that  was  sown  upon  the  rocky  places.  This  soil,  the 
second  kind,  is  among  the  rocks  (shallow  earth  over  rock  strata). 

167 


MATTHEW 


21.  straightway  with  joy  receiveth  it;  yet  hath  he  not 
root  in  himself,  but  endureth  for  a  while;  and  when 
tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because  of  the  word, 

22.  straightway  he  stumbleth.  And  he  that  was  sown 
among  the  thorns,  this  is  he  that  heareth  the  word; 
and  the  care  of  the  world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of 
riches,  choke  the  word,  and  he  becometh  unfruitful. 

23.  And  he  that  was  sown  upon  the  good  ground,  this  is 
he  that  heareth  the  word,  and  understandeth  it ;  who 
verily  beareth  fruit,  and  bringeth  forth,  some  a  hun- 
dredfold, some  sixty,  some  thirty. 

R   24.       Another  parable  set  he  before  them,  saying.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened  unto  a  man  that  sowed 

25.  good  seed  in  his  field :  but  while  men  slept,  his  enemy 
came  and  sowed  tares  also  among  the  wheat,  and  went 

26.  away.     But  when  the  blade  sprang  up,  and  brought 

27.  forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also.  And  the 
servants  of  the  householder  came  and  said  unto  him, 
Sir,  didst  thou  not  sow  good  seed  in  thy  field  ?  whence 

28.  then  hath  it  tares  ?  And  he  said  unto  them,  An  enemy 
hath  done  this.     And  the  servants  say  unto  him.  Wilt 

29.  thou  then  that  we  go  and  gather  them  up?    But  he 


22.  He  that  was  sown  among  the  thoms.  So  the  third  kind  of 
soil  is  among  the  thorns.     No  good  ground  so  far. 

23.  He  tiiat  was  sown  upon  the  good  ground.  This  soil  is 
good  ground,  we  should  say.  Some  a  hundredfold.  No  grain 
came  from  the  other  three  kinds  of  soil.  Those  were  not  really 
converted.  Among  the  converted  there  will  be  diversity  in  the 
harvest,  but  there  will  be  harvest. 

24.  Another  parable.  That  of  the  Tares.  The  kingdom  of 
heaven.  The  main  theme  of  the  parable.  Is  likened.  The 
common  form  of  comparison.  The  parable  implies  a  comparison. 
When  this  expression  is  used,  the  comparison  is  stated. 

25.  Tares.  Not  vetch,  but  bearded  darnel.  At  first  it  looks 
like  wheat. 

168 


MATTHEW 


saith,  Nay;   lest  haply  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares, 

30.  ye  root  up  the  wheat  with  them.  Let  both  grow 
together  until  the  harvest :  and  in  the  time  of  the  har- 
vest I  will  say  to  the  reapers,  Gather  up  first  the  tares, 
and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them :  but  gather 
the  wheat  into  my  barn. 

31.  Another  parable  set  he  before  them,  saying.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  Uke  unto  a  grain  of  mustard  seed, 

32.  which  a  man  took,  and  sowed  in  his  field:  which  in- 
deed is  less  than  all  seeds ;  but  when  it  is  grown,  it  is 
greater  than  the  herbs,  and  becometh  a  tree,  so  that 
the  birds  of  the  heaven  come  and  lodge  in  the  branches 

.  thereof. 

33.  Another  parable  spake  he  unto  them;  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven,  which  a  woman 
took,  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  it  was  all 
leavened. 


29.  Ye  root  up  the  wheat  with  them.  Modern  farmers  have 
learned  how  to  take  weeds  (cockle,  cheat,  etc.)  out  of  wheat,  but 
it  is  difficult  and  is  not  usually  done. 

30.  I  will  say.  Note  the  consciousness  of  Jesus  about  the 
judgment.  He  will  be  Judge  (Matt.  25).  Cf.  the  eschatological 
teaching  of  John  the  Baptist. 

31.  Another  parable.  The  Mustard  Seed.  The  kingdom. 
Not  the  individual.  A  grain  of  mustard  seed.  Jesus  does  not 
expound  this  parable,  but  the  point  is  plain.  It  is  the  develop- 
ment of  the  kingdom.  It  is  a  biological  conception,  the  law  of 
life,  of  growth.  The  proof  of  Christ's  illustration  is  before  our 
eyes  to-day.  In  Acts  5  :  24  the  chief  priests  already  fear  the 
growth  of  the  new  kingdom.  No  stress  need  be  laid  on  the 
branches  and  the  birds.  It  is  a  very  small  seed  (hyperbole)  and 
in  Palestine  becomes  a  shrub  as  large  as  some  trees  and  is  a  most 
happy  illustration  of  great  results  from  small  beginnings. 

^S.  Another  parable.  The  leaven.  Leaven.  It  is  usually, 
because  of  the  fermentation,  a  metaphor  for  the  influence  of  evil. 
(Cf.  I  Cor.  5:6;  Gal.  5  :  9.)  But  "  lion  "  is  a  metaphor  for 
Christ  (Rev.  5  :  5)  and  for  the  devil  (i  Pet.  3:8).  Cf.  also  the 
Unjust  Judge.     The  point  here  is  not  in  the  impurity  of  the 

169 


MATTHEW 


34.  All  these  things  spake  Jesus  in  parables  unto  the 
multitudes ;   and  without  a  parable  spake  he  nothing 

35.  unto  them:  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken 
by  the  prophet,  saying, 

I  will  open  my  mouth  in  parables ; 
I  will  utter  things  hidden  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world. 

36.  Then  he  left  the  multitudes,  and  went  into  the  house : 
and  his  disciples  came  unto  him,  saying.  Explain  imto 

37.  us  the  parable  of  the  tares  of  the  field.    And  he  an- 
swered and  said.  He  that  soweth  the  good  seed  is  the 

38.  Son  of  man ;  and  the  field  is  the  world ;  and  the  good 
seed,  these  are  the  sons  of  the  kingdom ;  and  the  tares 

39.  are  the  sons  of  the  evil  one;  and  the  enemy  that  sowed 

leaven,  but  in  its  pervasive  power,  the  pervasive  influence  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.     Nothing  is  to  be  made  of  the  number  "  three." 

34.  Unto  the  multitudes.     By  the  sea. 

35.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled.  Usual  formula.  By  the 
prophet.  Ps.  78 :  2.  Probably  a  translation  from  the  Hebrew. 
This  is  Matthew's  interpretation  of  Christ's  new  method  of  teach- 
ing. Mark  (4 :  34)  adds  that  "  privately  to  his  disciples  he  ex- 
pounded all  things."  We  have  the  exposition  of  only  the  Sower 
and  the  Tares.     That  of  the  Sower  was  apparently  in  public. 

(2)    Three  more  Parables  in  the   House  after  Explanation  of  the 
Tares,  36-50 

36.  Went  into  the  house.  Apparently  the  same  house  (13  :  i) 
from  which  he  had  gone  to  the  sea,  possibly  Peter's  home  in  Caper- 
naum. His  disciples  came  unto  him.  An  illustration  of  Mark's 
remark  (4 :  34).  Explain  imto  us.  They  had  heard,  but  did  not 
understand.     The  parables  provoked  inquiry. 

37.  The  field  is  the  world.  Both  wheat  and  tares  are  in  the 
same  field,  the  world,  intermingled.  The  field  is  not  the  kingdom, 
but  both  kingdoms  (that  of  God  and  that  of  Satan)  are  in  the 
same  field  (the  world).  The  point  in  the  parable  of  the  Tares 
is  that  separation  between  the  good  and  the  bad  takes  place  at 
the  end,  the  consummation  of  the  kingdom. 

38.  The  sons  of  the  evil  one.  The  world  has  only  two  classes, 
the  children  of  God  and  the  children  of  the  devil.     In  one  sense, 

170 


MATTHEW 


them  is  the  devil :  and  the  harvest  is  the  end  of  the 

40.  world;  and  the  reapers  are  angels.  As  therefore  the 
tares  are  gathered  up  and  burned  with  fire ;   so  shall 

41.  it  be  in  the  end  of  the  world.  The  Son  of  man  shall 
send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his 
kingdom  all  things  that  cause  stmnbling,  and  them 

42.  that  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them  into  the  furnace 
of  fire:   there  shall  be  the  weeping  and  gnashing  of 

43.  teeth.  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  Sim 
in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father.  He  that  hath  ears, 
let  him  hear. 

44.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  treasure  hidden 
in  the  field ;  which  a  man  found,  and  hid ;  and  in  his 
joy  he  goeth  and  selleth  all  that  he  hath,  and  buyeth 
that  field. 

45.  Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  hke  unto  a  man 

46.  that  is  a  merchant  seeking  goodly  pearls :  and  having 
found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  he  went  and  sold  all 
that  he  had,  and  bought  it. 


that  of  origin,  all  men  are  the  children  of  God.     But  here,  as  fre- 
quently, sonship  indicates  likeness  in  character. 

41.  Gather  out  of  his  kingdom.  Jesus  does  not,  of  course, 
mean  that  the  sons  of  the  devil  are  in  the  kingdom  in  reality. 
Both  classes  are  in  the  world  (the  field).  The  wicked,  like  the 
tares  in  the  wheat,  are  mingled  with  the  good.  At  the  end  the 
wicked  will  be  gathered  out  from  among  the  good. 

44.  A  treasure  hidden  in  the  field.  The  point  here  is  the  joy 
of  discovery  of  something  of  supreme  worth.  The  kingdom,  like 
the  treasure,  is  worth  more  than  all  a  man's  possessions.  He 
raay  well  sacrifice  these  all  for  it.  The  ethical  question  of  the 
rights  of  one  who  finds  a  treasure  in  relation  to  the  owner  of  the 
field  is  not  raised  at  all. 

45.  A  merchant  seeking  goodly  pearls.  Here  again  we  have 
the  personal  experience  of  a  believer  as  he  finds  the  supreme  good. 
As  the  one  pearl  was  worth  more  than  all  the  merchant's  posses- 
sions which  he  exchanged  for  it,  so  the  kingdom  may  well  be 
gained  by  sacrifice  of  all  else.     For  it  is  worth  more.     In  this 

171 


MATTHEW 


47.  Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  Hke  unto  a  net, 
that  was  cast  into  the  sea,  and  gathered  of  every  kind : 

48.  which,  when  it  was  filled,  they  drew  up  on  the  beach ; 
and  they  sat  down,  and  gathered  the  good  into  vessels, 

49.  but  the  bad  they  cast  away.  So  shall  it  be  in  the  end 
of  the  world :   the  angels  shall  come  forth,  and  sever 

50.  the  wicked  from  among  the  righteous,  and  shall  cast 
them  into  the  furnace  of  fire :  there  shall  be  the  weep- 
ing and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

51.  Have  ye  understood  all  these  things?    They  say 

52.  unto  him.  Yea.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Therefore 
every  scribe  who  hath  been  made  a  disciple  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  man  that  is  a  house- 
holder, which  bringeth  forth  out  of  his  treasure  things 
new  and  old. 


parable,  however,  it  is  the  joy  of  success  after  long  search.  In 
the  case  of  the  Mustard  Seed  and  the  Leaven  we  had  biological 
metaphors.  Here  the  riches  of  grace  are  presented  as  a  finished 
product,  a  treasure  and  a  pearl.  Both  points  of  view  are  true 
and  they  do  not  conflict.  No  metaphor  of  the  kingdom  is  ex- 
haustive, 

47.  Net.  This  parable  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Tares,  though 
it  was  spoken  last  in  the  list  according  to  Matthew.  As  with  the 
Tares,  so  here  the  separation  between  the  good  and  the  bad  fish 
takes  place  only  at  the  end,  the  consummation  of  the  kingdom. 
Just  as  the  field  (the  world)  contains  both  wheat  and  tares,  so  the 
net  (the  world)  holds  both  good  and  bad.  Cf .  Matt.  24 :  3 ; 
28 :  20. 

50.  There.     In  the  furnace  of  fire. 

(3)    The  Disciples  Learning  the  Parables,  51  f. 

51.  Have  ye  understood  all  these  things?  The  answer  is 
rather  astonishing.  They  thought  that  they  did,  but  see  the 
parable  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  (Matt. 
i5:6ff.). 

52.  Every  scribe.  Really  an  eighth  parable  in  Matthew. 
Out  of  his  treasure  things  new  and  old.  As  Jesus  has  done. 
What  the  teacher  should  desire  is  the  truth  whether  old  or  new, 


MATTHEW 


13.  Jesus  Back  at  Nazareth ^  13 :  53-58 

53.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jesus  had  finished  these 

54.  parables,  he  departed  thence.  And  coming  into  his 
own  country  he  taught  them  in  their  synagogue,  in- 
somuch that  they  were  astonished,  and  said,  Whence 
hath  this  man  this  wisdom,  and  these  mighty  works  ? 

55.  Is  not  this  the  carpenter's  son?  is  not  his  mother 
called  Mary?   and  his  brethren,  James,  and  Joseph, 

The  parables  in  this  chapter  fall  into  an  harmonious  presentation 
of  the  kingdom  and  illustrate  this  closing  parable  of  the  ideal 
scribe  (teacher).  The  Sower  presents  in  a  general  way  the  vari- 
ous results  to  be  expected  from  the  proclamation  of  the  word  of 
the  Kingdom.  The  Seed  growing  of  itself  (Mark)  illustrates  the 
gradual  and  mysterious  development  of  that  word  in  those  indi- 
viduals who  do  open  their  hearts  to  it.  The  Hid  Treasure  and 
the  Pearl  of  Great  Price  reveal  the  joy  of  those  who  find  the 
kingdom  as  the  supreme  good,  whether  made  by  sudden  dis- 
covery or  as  a  result  of  prolonged  search.  The  Mustard  Seed  and 
the  Leaven  show  how  the  kingdom  will  develop  from  its  present 
small  beginning  into  a  mighty  force  in  the  world.  The  Tares 
and  the  Net  illustrate  the  conflict  between  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  and  the  final  separation  between  the 
good  and  bad  in  the  end. 

53.  Departed  thence.  Whither?  According  to  Mark  (4: 
35-41)  Jesus  went  across  the  lake  where  the  demoniac  in  the 
tombs  was  encountered.  On  the  return  he  went  on  to  his  own 
country. 

54.  His  own  country.  Nazareth.  Cf.  Lk.  4:  16-31  for  what 
was  probably  an  earlier  visit  to  Nazareth.  The  accounts  may  be 
of  the  same  visit,  but  probably  not.  Here  Matthew  follows  Mark 
closely.  In  their  synagogue.  Jesus  went  to  worship  and,  as  a 
visiting  rabbi,  was  asked  to  speak.  Whence.  They  were  as- 
tonished at  his  words  and  his  works.  He  wrought  some  miracles 
in  Nazareth.  In  the  earlier  visit  (Luke)  he  apparently  wrought 
none. 

55.  Is  not  this  the  carpenter's  son?  He  was  evidently  a  well- 
known  figure  in  Nazareth.  Mark  (6 :  3)  speaks  of  Jesus  as  "  tlje 
carpenter."  The  town  people  still  thought  of  the  now  famous 
rabbi  as  the  carpenter  boy.  His  brethren.  He  had  brothers  and 
sisters,   children  of  Joseph  and  Mary.     Strictly  they  were  half- 

173 


MATTHEW 


56.  and  Simon,  and  Judas?  And  his  sisters,  are  they 
not  all  with  us  ?    Whence  then  hath  this  man  all  these 

57.  things  ?  And  they  were  offended  in  him.  But  Jesus 
said  unto  them,  A  prophet  is  not  without  honour,  save 

58.  in  his  own  country,  and  in  his  own  house.  And  he 
did  not  many  mighty  works  there  because  of  their 
unbelief. 


brothers  and  sisters,  since  Jesus  was  not  the  son  of  Joseph,  though 
he  passed  as  such.  There  are  two  other  theories.  One  is  that 
these  children  were  those  of  Joseph  by  a  previous  marriage,  step- 
children to  Mary,  and  so  no  real  kin  to  Jesus.  Another  theory 
is  that  they  are  the  children  of  Mary's  sister  Mary  and  so  the 
cousins  of  Jesus.  Ingenious  arguments  are  advanced,  but  the 
first  view  is  the  obvious  and  natural  one.  The  brothers  and 
sisters  of  Jesus  were  still  in  Nazareth. 

57.  Offended  in  him.  Stumbled  at  him,  because  they  could 
not  explain  his  present  power  from  so  humble  a  home.  A  prophet 
is  not  without  honour.  By  this  proverb  Jesus  explains  the  mysti- 
fication of  his  townsmen. 

58.  Because  of  their  unbelief.  Mark  (6 :  6)  adds  that  Jesus 
"  marvelled  because  of  their  unbelief."  He  did  some  mighty 
works,  but  not  many.     The  atmosphere  was  too  hostile. 


174 


V.  Special  Training  of  the  Twelve  in  View  of  the 
Approaching  Death  of  Jesus,  Chs.  14-18 

Chiefly  in  the  Districts  outside  of  Galilee 

I.  Reason  for  the  Alarm  and  Guilty  Conscience  of  Herod 
AntipaSj  14: 1-12 

14.       At  that  season  Herod  the  tetrarch  heard  the  report 

2.  concerning  Jesus,  and  said  unto  his  servants,  This  is 
John  the  Baptist;    he  is  risen  from  the  dead;    and 

3.  therefore  do  these  powers  work  in  him.  For  Herod 
had  laid  hold  on  John,  and  boimd  him,  and  put  him 
in  prison  for  the  sake  of  Herodias,  his  brother  Philip's 


1.  At  that  season.  Certainly  not  just  after  the  visit  to  Naz- 
areth. Most  probably  the  order  of  Mark  (6:  12-29)  and  Luke 
(9 :  6-9)  is  correct.  They  put  it  just  after  the  experimental  tour 
of  the  twelve.  From  now  on  Matthew  follows  Mark's  order 
very  closely  and  is  chronological,  not  topical,  in  most  places. 
Tetrarch.  But  "  king  "  in  verse  9  as  in  Mk.  6 :  14.  Tetrarch 
was  technically  correct.  It  was  a  title  inferior  to  that  of  king, 
and  indicated  a  native  ruler  subject  to  Rome,  but  of  considerable 
independent  power.  Heard  the  report.  When  Herod  was  at 
home  in  Tiberias,  he  was  not  very  far  from  the  scene  of  Christ's 
labors.     The  tours  of  the  Apostles  would  make  fresh  talk. 

2.  This  is  John  the  Baptist.  Luke  adds  (9:7)  that  this  was 
the  interpretation  of  others  also.  But  Herod's  own  guilty  con- 
science would  readily  acquiesce. 

3.  Had  laid  hold  on  John.  The  arrest,  imprisonment,  and 
death  of  John  are  here  told  from  the  standpoint  of  the  ministry 
of  Jesus.  How  long  ago  the  death  was  is  not  told.  It  was  prob- 
ably some  months.  For  the  sake  of  Herodias.  He  knew  that  he 
had  no  right  to  have  her.  Her  former  husband  was  still  alive, 
and  moreover  she  was  Herod's  sister-in-law  (cf.  Lev.  18:  16).  It 
was  a  flagrant  affront  to  public  sentiment. 

175 


MATTHEW 


4.  wife.     For  John  said  unto  him,  It  is  not  lawful  for 

5.  thee  to  have  her.  And  when  he  would  have  put  him 
to  death,  he  feared  the  multitude,  because  they  counted 

6.  him  as  a  prophet.  But  when  Herod's  birthday  came, 
the  daughter  of  Herodias  danced  in  the  midst,  and 

7.  pleased  Herod.     Whereupon  he  promised  with  an  oath 

8.  to  give  her  whatsoever  she  should  ask.  And  she, 
being  put  forward  by  her  mother,  saith,  Give  me  here 

9.  in  a  charger  the  head  of  John  the  Baptist.  And  the 
king  was  grieved ;  but  for  the  sake  of  his  oaths,  and 
of  them  which  sat  at  meat  with  him,  he  commanded  it 

10.  to  be  given ;   and  he  sent,  and  beheaded  John  in  the 

11.  prison.    And  his  head  was  brought  in  a  charger,  and 
given  to  the  damsel :  and  she  brought  it  to  her  mother. 

12.  And  his  disciples  came,  and  took  up  the  corpse,  and 
buried  him ;  and  they  went  and  told  Jesus. 


4.  John  said  unto  him.  Why  we  do  not  know.  The  Phari- 
sees may  have  inveigled  Herod  into  asking  John's  opinion  of  his 
marriage  or  Herod  may  have  invited  John  to  Machaerus  to  preach. 
But  John  was  not  the  kind  of  man  to  spare  a  sinner  in  a  high  place. 
Mark  (6:  17)  remarks  that  "  Herod  himself  had  sent  forth  and 
laid  hold  upon  John," 

5.  He  feared  the  multitude.  He  was  between  two  fires. 
"  Herodias  set  herself  against  "  John  (Mk.  6:  19)  and  the  people 
"  counted  him  as  a  prophet  "  (Matt.  14:  5),  Hence  Herod  was 
much  perplexed  (Mk.  6  :  20)  and  vacillated.  He  personally  liked 
John  and  respected  him,  though  Mark  (6 :  20)  says  that  "  Herod 
feared  John." 

6.  Herod's  birthday  came.  It  was  the  opportunity  of  Hero- 
dias. She  knew  Herod's  habits  and  weaknesses.  Probably  for 
this  reason  she  allowed  her  daughter  Salome  to  make  a  shameful 
spectacle  of  herself. 

7.  Promised  with  an  oath.  Mark  (6 :  23)  adds  "  even  to  the 
half  of  my  kingdom."     Ci.  Esther  5  :  3,  6. 

8.  Put  forward  by  her  mother.  The  instigator  of  it  all,  but 
Salome  and  Herod  Antipas  have  their  guilt  also. 

9.  The  king  was  grieved.     He  liked  and  feared  John. 

12.   Took  up  the  corpse.     Herod  had  the  decency  to  allow 
176 


MATTHEW 


2.   Crisis  in  Christ'' s  Ministry  because  of  Popular 
Fanaticism,  14 :  13-36 

13.  Now  when  Jesus  heard  if,  he  withdrew  from  thence  M 
in  a  boat,  to  a  desert  place  apart :  and  when  the  mul- 
titudes heard  thereof,  they  followed  him  on  foot  from 

14.  the  cities.  And  he  came  forth,  and  saw  a  great  mul- 
titude, and  he  had  compassion  on  them,  and  healed 

15.  their  sick.  And  when  even  was  come,  the  disciples 
came  to  him,  saying,  The  place  is  desert,  and  the  time 
is  already  past ;  send  the  multitudes  away,  that  they 
may  go  into  the  villages,  and  buy  themselves  food. 

that.     They  went  and  told  Jesus.     Proof  of  John's  love  for  Jesus. 
His  disciples  knew  that  Jesus  cared. 

13.  When  Jesus  heard  it.  What?  The  news  of  the  murder 
of  the  Baptist?  Or  the  agitation  of  Herod  Antipas  about  Jesus 
as  John  the  Baptist  redivinus?  The  latter  most  probably.  In 
Mark  (6  :  30)  and  Luke  (9  :  10)  the  return  of  the  Apostles  with  the 
report  of  their  work  is  the  cause  of  the  withdrawal.  The  two 
views  are  not  inconsistent.  Withdrew.  Luke  (9 :  10)  explains 
that  it  was  to  the  city  of  Bethsaida  (Julias)  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  lake  in  the  region  of  Philip.  John  (6  :  i)  calls  it  "  the  other  side." 
The  four  Gospels  narrate  this  incident,  making  it  the  best  attested 
of  all  Christ's  miracles.  John  (6 :  4)  adds  also  that  it  was  the 
time  of  the  passover,  a  feast  which  Jesus  did  not  attend  because 
the  Jews  sought  to  kill  him  (Jn.  7:1).  It  was  a  year  before  the 
death  of  Christ.  The  green  grass  of  Mark  (6 :  39)  shows  also 
that  it  was  spring.  To  a  desert  place  apart.  Near  Bethsaida 
on  the  mountain  side  (Matt.  14:  23).  On  foot.  In  contrast  to 
the  boat  used  by  Jesus.  They  ran  round  the  head  of  the  lake 
and  outwent  Jesus  (Mk.  6 :  33). 

14.  He  came  forth.  Tired  as  he  was  (Mk.  6:  31).  He  was 
not  too  tired  to  have  compassion  on  the  multitude,  to  heal  the 
sick,  to  teach  all. 

15.  When  even  was  come.  The  first  "  even,"  about  three 
o'clock.  The  disciples  came  to  him.  According  to  John  (6 :  5) 
Jesus  raised  the  question  with  Philip  to  prove  him  (Jn.  6 :  2). 
Probably  Philip  spoke  to  the  disciples  who  later  take  it  up  with 
Jesus.     He   urges   that   the   disciples   feed   the   multitudes.     He 

(Mk.  6 :  38)  how  many  loaves  you  can 

N  177 


MATTHEW 


1 6.  But  Jesus  said  unto  them,  They  have  no  need  to  go 

17.  away ;  give  ye  them  to  eat.     And  they  say  unto  him, 

18.  We  have  here  but  five  loaves,  and  two  fishes.    And 

19.  he  said,  Bring  them  hither  to  me.  And  he  commanded 
the  multitudes  to  sit  down  on  the  grass ;  and  he  took 
the  five  loaves,  and  the  two  fishes,  and  looking  up  to 
heaven,  he  blessed,  and  brake  and  gave  the  loaves  to 

20.  the  disciples,  and  the  disciples  to  the  multitudes.  And 
they  did  all  eat,  and  were  filled:  and  they  took  up 
that  which  remained  over  of  the  broken  pieces,  twelve 

21.  baskets  full.  And  they  that  did  eat  were  about  five 
thousand  men,  beside  women  and  children. 

22.  And  straightway  he  constrained  the  disciples  to 

find.  Andrew  (Jn.  6 :  8)  reports  that  a  lad  has  five  barley  loaves 
and  two  fishes,  the  visible  supply.  The  disciples,  according  to 
Luke  (9 :  13),  suggest  the  possibility  of  their  buying  food  as  the 
only  solution. 

18.  Bring  them  hither  to  me.  Probably  the  lad  came  also. 
The  disciples  had  not  expected  a  miracle. 

19.  Sit  down  on  the  grass.  Recline.  Mark  (6 :  40)  explains 
that  they  were  in  companies  of  hundreds  and  fifties,  Luke  each 
about  fifty  (9 :  14).  It  was  orderly  and  more  convenient  thus. 
He  blessed.  Looking  up  to  heaven.  This  was  "  saying  grace  " 
and  more.  The  "  more  "  we  cannot  explain.  This  nature 
miracle  cannot  be  explained  on  the  theory  of  psychic  influence. 
But  it  is  the  best  attested  of  all  the  miracles  wrought  by  Jesus. 
At  bottom  the  problem  is  that  of  the  personality  of  God.  Has 
God  personal  will  left  outside  of  his  laws  in  nature?  If  God  is 
both  transcendent  and  immanent,  he  can,  if  he  will,  express  his 
will  on  his  world  by  laws  unknown  to  us.  Jesus  here  acts  as  God 
at  home  with  the  forces  of  nature.  The  bread  is  baked  and  the 
fishes  cooked.  Cf.  Elisha's  feeding  of  a  hundred  men  (2  Kgs. 
4:42-44). 

20.  Took  up  that  which  remained.  Economy  in  the  midst 
of  great  abundance.  Twelve  baskets  full.  One  for  each  Apostle. 
Not  of  crumbs,  but  of  broken  pieces  not  eaten. 

21.  About  five  thousand  men.  They  could  be  counted.  The 
women  and  children  were  probably  few  and  may  not  have  been 
gathered  into  groups. 

22.  Straightway.     John  (6:14)  explains  why  Jesus  sent  the 

178 


MATTHEW 


enter  into  the  boat,  and  to  go  before  him  unto  the  other 

23.  side,  till  he  should  send  the  multitudes  away.  And 
after  he  had  sent  the  multitudes  away,  he  went  up  into 
the  mountain  apart  to  pray :  and  when  even  was  come, 

24.  he  was  there  alone.  But  the  boat  was  now  in  the 
midst  of  the  sea,  distressed  by  the  waves ;  for  the  wind 

25.  was  contrary.     And  in  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night 

26.  he  came  unto  them,  walking  upon  the  sea.  And  when 
the  disciples  saw  him  walking  on  the  sea,  they  were 
troubled,  saying,  It  is  an  apparition ;   and  they  cried 

27.  out  for  fear.     But  straightway  Jesus  spake  unto  them, 

28.  saying.  Be  of  good  cheer ;  it  is  I ;  be  not  afraid.  And 
Peter  answered  him  and  said.  Lord,  if  it  be  thou,  bid 


multitude  and  the  disciples  away  so  hurriedly.  The  people  were 
clamoring  to  make  Jesus  a  national  king.  It  was  the  temptation 
of  the  devil  over  again.  The  crowd  were  hailing  him  as  Messiah, 
a  political  Messiah,  the  kind  that  they  looked  for.  Unto  the 
other  side.  To  the  west  to  Bethsaida  (Mk.  6 :  45),  the  one  in 
Galilee.  The  disciples  returned  by  the  same  boat  in  which  they 
had  come.  Till  he  should  send  the  multitudes  away.  It  was  a 
real  task,  for  the  crowd  was  great.  They  wanted  to  make  him  a 
king  by  force  (Jn.  6 :  15). 

23.  Into  the  mountain  apart  to  pray.  He  wished  to  talk  with 
the  Father.  It  had  been  a  day  of  exhaustion  and  the  people  hope- 
lessly misunderstood  him.  He  had  labored  possibly  a  year  and  a 
half  in  Galilee  and  they  still  wish  a  national  king,  not  a  Saviour 
from  their  sins.  When  even  was  come.  The  second  "  even," 
at  six  o'clock.  Alone.  Cf.  the  temptation  in  the  wilderness 
when  the  devil  came  and  oflfered  him  the  kingdoms  of  the  world. 

24.  Was  now  in  the  midst  of  the  sea.  When  the  storm  came. 
They  had  rowed  slowly. 

25.  In  the  fourth  watch.  Roman  method  of  counting,  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Walking  upon  the  sea.  Another  nature 
miracle. 

26.  It  is  an  apparition.  The  disciples  evidently  believed  in 
ghosts.  That  fact  does  not  affect  the  question  of  the  existence 
of.  ghosts  one  way  or  the  other. 

28.  If  it  be  thou.  Impulsive  faith  and  a  demand  for  proof  at 
the  same  time. 

179 


MATTHEW 


29.  me  come  imto  thee  upon  the  waters.  And  he  said, 
Come.    And  Peter  went  down  from  the  boat,  and 

30.  walked  upon  the  waters,  to  come  to  Jesus.  But  when 
he  saw  the  wind,  he  was  afraid ;  and  beginning  to  sink, 

31.  he  cried  out,  saying.  Lord,  save  me.  And  immediately 
Jesus  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  took  hold  of  him, 
and  saith  unto  him,  O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore 

M  32.   didst  thou  doubt  ?    And  when  they  were  gone  up  into 

33.  the  boat,  the  wind  ceased.  And  they  that  were  in  the 
boat  worshipped  him,  saying.  Of  a  truth  thou  art  the 
Son  of  God. 

34.  And  when  they  had  crossed  over,  they  came  to  the 

35.  land,  unto  Gennesaret.  And  when  the  men  of  that 
place  knew  him,  they  sent  into  all  that  region  round 

36.  about,  and  brought  unto  him  all  that  were  sick ;  and 
they  besought  him  that  they  might  only  touch  the 
border  of  his  garment :  and  as  many  as  touched  were 
made  whole. 

3.  Challenged  by  the  Jerusalem  Pharisees  because  of  the 
Tradition  of  the  Elders,  15 : 1-20 

15.       Then  there  come  to  Jesus  from  Jerusalem  Pharisees 
2.   and  scribes,  saying.  Why  do  thy  disciples  transgress 

29.  Walked  upon  the  waters.     Another  miracle. 

30.  When  he  saw  the  wind.  Popular  speech.  He  saw  the 
effect  of  the  wind  on  the  waves.  Peter's  miracle  was  dependent 
on  his  own  faith,  which  soon  gave  way  to  doubt. 

33.  Worshipped  him.  In  the  full  sense.  The  Son  of  God. 
Growing  sense  of  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus. 

34.  Unto  Gennesaret.  The  plain  of  Gennesaret  on  the  west- 
ern side  of  the  lake. 

36.  Only  touch.  Cf.  The  woman  in  9 :  20  f.  This  faith  was 
honored  by  Christ. 

I.  Then.  Matthew's  usual  note  of  time,  but  indefinite. 
Matthew  and  Mark  (7 :  1-23)  agree  in  the  order  of  this  section. 

180 


MATTHEW 


the  tradition  of  the  elders?   for  they  wash  not  their 

3.  hands  when  they  eat  bread.  And  he  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  Why  do  ye  also  transgress  the  com- 

4.  mandment  of  God  because  of  your  tradition?  For 
God  said,  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother:  and, 
He  that  speaketh  evil  of  father  or  mother,  let  him  die 

5.  the  death.  But  ye  say.  Whosoever  shall  say  to  his 
father  or  his  mother.  That  wherewith  thou  mightest 

6.  have  been  profited  by  me  is  given  to  God;  he  shall  not 


Mark  is  longer  here.  From  Jerusalem.  They  may  have  been 
sent  up  to  inspect  the  work  of  Christ.  They  have  come  before. 
Cf.  Lk.  5:17. 

2.  Trangress  the  tradition  of  the  elders.  The  oral  law.  The 
Talmud  says  that  Moses  delivered  the  oral  law  on  Mt.  Sinai  and 
it  was  handed  down  from  mouth  to  mouth.  The  Pharisees  con- 
stituted themselves  the  special  champions  of  the  oral  law  as  against 
the  Sadducees.  In  reality  the  Pharisees  put  a  higher  value  on  the 
oral  law  than  they  did  upon  the  Scriptures.  Jesus  had  already 
violated  their  traditions  about  the  Sabbath.  Now  they  have  a 
new  charge  against  him.  Wash  not  their  hands  when  they  eat 
bread.  Mark  (7:3)  explains  that  the  Pharisees  were  supported  by 
popular  custom  in  the  matter  of  their  frequent  ceremonial  ablu- 
tions. He  adds  (vs.  4)  that  they  bathe  before  meals  when  they 
come  from  the  marketplace  (cf.  Lk.  11:38;  Sirach  31:30). 
But  the  trouble  with  the  Pharisees  was  that  they  attached  a 
moral  quality  to  purely  ceremonial  matters.  They  made  a  moral 
necessity  out  of  mere  custom. 

3.  Ye  also  transgress  the  commandment  of  God.  The  answer 
of  Jesus  was  to  the  point.  They  cared  more  for  ceremonial  purity 
than  for  moral  purity.  This  was  the  real  issue  between  Christ 
and  the  Pharisees.  Because  of  your  traditions.  In  order  to  keep 
their  tradition  they  will  even  violate  a  command  of  God. 

4.  For  God  said.  Cf.  Ex.  20:12;  21:17,  from  the  LXX. 
Die  the  death.  Cf.  Dt.  27:16;  Prov.  20:20;  i  Tim.  5:3. 
The  Scripture  is  clear  here. 

5.  But  ye  say.  In  contrast.  A  brief  statement  of  Pharisaic 
teaching.  See  the  Talmud.  Is  given  to  God.  Corban  (Mk. 
7:  11).  Either  that  what  is  given  in  haste  or  anger  cannot  be 
recalled  or  that  it  is  merely  given  in  pretence  and  is  turned  aside 
(but  not  to  the  parent).  This  conduct  shows  their  moral  rotten- 
ness. 

181 


MATTHEW 


honour  his  father.    And  ye  have  made  void  the  word 

7.  of  God  because  of  your  tradition.    Ye  hypocrites,  well 
did  Isaiah  prophesy  of  you,  saying, 

8.  This  people  honoureth  me  with  their  lips; 
But  their  heart  is  far  from  me. 

9.  But  in  vain  do  they  worship  me, 

Teaching  as  their  doctrines  the  precepts  of  men. 

10.  And  he  called  to  him  the  multitude,  and  said  unto 

11.  them.  Hear,  and  understand :  Not  that  which  entereth 
into  the  mouth  defileth  the  man ;  but  that  which  pro- 

12.  ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth,  this  defileth  the  man.  Then 
came  the  disciples,  and  said  unto  him,  Knowest  thou 
that  the  Pharisees  were  offended,  when  they  heard 

13.  this  saying  ?  But  he  answered  and  said.  Every  plant 
which  my  heavenly  Father  planted  not,  shall  be  rooted 

14.  up.  Let  them  alone:  they  are  blind  guides.  And 
if  the  blind  guide  the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into  a  pit. 

15.  And  Peter  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Declare  unto 

6.  Make  void.  Mark  (7 :  9)  gives  the  fine  irony  of  Jesus : 
"  Full  well  do  ye  reject  the  commandment  of  God,  that  ye  may 
keep  your  traditions." 

7.  Well  did  Isaiah.  Isa.  29 :  13  from  LXX.  History  has 
certainly  repeated  itself.  Mark  gives  this  quotation  a  few  verses 
sooner  than  Matthew. 

10.  Called  to  him.  Probably  a  crowd  had  gathered  by  this  time 
to  hear  the  discussion  between  Jesus  and  the  Jerusalem  Pharisees. 

11.  Not  that  which  entereth.  It  is,  of  course,  moral  defile- 
ment that  Jesus  means,  not  physical  (hygienic)  defilement.  The 
antithesis  is  ceremonial  and  moral. 

12.  Knowest  thou.  The  Pharisees  had  evidently  shown  such 
anger  that  the  disciples  grew  uneasy.  They  feared  these  religious 
leaders. 

13.  Every  plant.     A  parable  of  nature. 

14.  BUnd  guides.  Another  parable.  Cf .  Lk.  6 :  39 ;  Matt. 
23  :  16,  24  ;  Rom.  2  :  19.     It  may  have  been  a  proverb. 

15.  Peter  answered.  He  wanted  to  know,  confessing  his  ig- 
norance ;  the  Pharisees  were  ignorant  and  did  not  know  it. 

182 


MATTHEW 


i6.   us  the  parable.    And  he  said,  Are  ye  also  even  yet 

17.  without  understanding  ?  Perceive  ye  not,  that  what- 
soever goeth  into  the  mouth  passeth  into  the  belly, 

18.  and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught?  But  the  things 
which  proceed  out  of  the  mouth  come  forth  out  of  the 

19.  heart ;  and  they  defile  the  man.  For  out  of  the  heart 
come  forth  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  forni- 

20.  cations,  thefts,  false  witness,  railings :  these  are  the 
things  which  defile  the  man :  but  to  eat  with  unwashen 
hands  defileth  not  the  man. 

4.  A  Trip  to  Phceniciaj  15 :  21-28 

21.  And  Jesus  went  out  thence,  and  withdrew  into  the  M 

22.  parts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.    And  behold,  a  Canaanitish 

16.  Ye  also  even  yet.  Jesus  rebukes  the  disciples  all  (Mk. 
7:17)  for  not  understanding  so  plain  a  matter.  Their  dulness 
pertains  to  the  matter  of  defilement,  so  bound  to  tradition  were 
even  the  disciples  of  Jesus. 

18.  Out  of  the  heart.  Plain  language.  Mark  (7  :  19)  inserts  a 
clause  "  making  all  meats  clean,"  perhaps  under  the  influence  of 
Peter  (cf.  Acts  10,  11),  who  later  had  a  special  vision  on  this  sub- 
ject. The  position  of  Jesus  seemed  revolutionary,  even  to  the 
disciples.  It  was  difficult  for  them  to  separate  moral  questions 
from  the  purely  ceremonial. 

20.  These  are  the  things.  Jesus  repeats  with  solemn  emphasis. 
Fortunately  the  disciples  waited  till  they  had  gone  into  the  house 
(Mk.  7:17)  before  they  showed  their  sympathy  with  the  Phari- 
saic standpoint.  Jesus  did  not  object  to  washing  hands  at  meals. 
He  objected  to  making  it  a  moral  question.  He  had  now  ploughed 
very  deep  into  the  Pharisaic  tradition. 

21.  Went  out  hence.  The  Pharisees  would  hardly  go  with  him 
to  Phoenicia.  Herod  was  jealous,  as  we  have  seen,  and  the  people 
were  fanatical  (Jn.  6:  15).  The  disciples  were  sadly  in  need  of 
more  instruction,  if  they  were  disposed  to  take  the  side  of  the 
Pharisees  about  the  oral  law.  Once  before  Jesus  had  sought  rest 
near  Bethsaida  Julias  with  no  success.  Now  he  takes  the  twelve 
on  an  extended  tour  outside  of  Galilee.  The  heated  term  is  com- 
ing on.  Into  the  parts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.  Not  merely  to  the 
edge,  but  into  the  region  of.  He  went  into  Phoenicia,  but  not  to 
do  work  among  the  pagans. 

183 


MATTHEW 


woman  came  out  from  those  borders,  and  cried,  saying, 
Have  mercy  on  me,  O  Lord,  thou  son  of  David ;   my 

23.  daughter  is  grievously  vexed  with  a  devil.  But  he 
answered  her  not  a  word.  And  his  disciples  came  and 
besought  him,  saying,  Send  her  away ;   for  she  crieth 

24.  after  us.     But  he  answered  and  said,  I  was  not  sent 

25.  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  But 
she  came  and  worshipped  him,  saying,  Lord,  help  me. 

26.  And  he  answered  and  said.  It  is  not  meet  to  take  the 

27.  children's  bread  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs.  But  she  said, 
Yea,  Lord :  for  even  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  which 

28.  fall  from  their  masters'  table.    Then  Jesus  answered 

22.  Canaanitish  woman.  Cf.  Jud.  i :  3  f .  Elijah  had  gone 
into  Zarephath  (i  Kgs.  17  :  9  f. ;  Lk.  4  :  26)  in  Phoenicia.  Mark 
(7  :  26)  calls  this  woman  a  "  Greek,  a  Syrophcenician."  The 
Phoenicians  were  originally  from  Canaan.  Mark  speaks  of 
Christ's  going  into  a  house,  possibly  that  of  a  Gentile  (cf.  Acts 
10:37).  On  me.  She  made  her  daughter's  case  her  own. 
Grievously  vexed  with  a  devil.     A  very  bad  case. 

23.  Answered  her  not.  His  silence  seemed  hard.  Send  her 
away.     But  the  disciples  misunderstood  the  silence. 

24.  Answered  and  said.  He  spoke  now.  But  unto  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  But  the  speech  of  Jesus  gave  no 
comfort  to  the  woman.  Jesus  is  sincere,  though  he  means  to  test 
her.  If  he  had  repeated  in  Phoenicia  the  work  in  Galilee,  the 
door  to  the  Jewish  work  would  have  been  closed.  Cf.  the  diffi- 
culty experienced  by  Peter  and  the  Jerusalem  Christians  concern- 
ing the  Gentiles  and  the  gospel  (Acts  10  and  11).  Paul's  activity 
among  the  Gentiles  roused  fierce  opposition  in  Jerusalem  (Acts 
15  :  I  f.).  "To  the  Jew  first  "  was  the  privilege  of  the  Jews  and 
an  historical  necessity  laid  on  Jesus. 

25.  Worshipped.  But  the  woman  is  persistent.  She  must 
have  heard  of  Jesus  through  those  who  had  returned  from  Galilee. 

26.  The  children's  bread.  The  bread  of  the  Jews.  Christ 
repeats  this  point.  To  the  dogs.  The  Gentiles,  as  the  Jews 
regarded  them.  Jesus  did  not  himself  consider  the  Gentiles  to 
be  dogs. 

27.  Even  the  dogs.  Jesus  had  said  "little  dogs"  and  the 
woman  quickly  turned  the  image  round  to  the  little  dogs  under 
the  table.     It  was  bright  and  neat  and  it  deserved  to  win. 

184 


MATTHEW 


and  said  unto  her,  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith:  be 
it  done  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt.  And  her  daugh- 
ter was  healed  from  that  hour. 

5.  In  Decapolis:  the  Region  of  the  Greek  Cities,  15  :  29-39 

29.  And  Jesus  departed  thence,  and  came  nigh  unto  the  A( 
sea  of  Galilee;    and  he  went  up  into  the  mountain, 

30.  and  sat  there.  And  there  came  unto  him  great  mul- 
titudes, having  with  them  the  lame,  blind,  dumb, 
maimed,  and  many  others,  and  they  cast  them  down 

31.  at  his  feet;  and  he  healed  them:  insomuch  that  the 
multitude  wondered,  when  they  saw  the  dumb  speak- 

28.  Great  is  thy  faith.  It  did  win.  This  great  faith  is  again 
from  a  pagan.  It  shows  at  least  what  can  be  done  among  the 
Gentiles  when  the  door  is  open  (Acts  14:  27). 

29.  Departed  thence.  Mark  (7:31)  describes  the  route  as 
"  out  from  the  borders  of  Tyre  "  and  "  through  Sidon  unto  the 
Sea  of  Galilee,  through  the  midst  of  the  borders  of  Decapolis." 
The  description  is  not  very  perspicuous,  but  apparently  means  a 
trip  north  from  Tyre  to  Sidon,  then  east  and  down  south  through 
Decapolis  to  the  eastern  side  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  If  so,  Jesus 
kept  away  from  Galilee  and  passed  from  Phoenicia  into  the  terri- 
tory of  Philip  again  and  then  into  Decapolis.  He  had  been  in 
Decapolis  before  (Matt.  8:  28),  but  was  asked  to  leave.  We  do 
not  know  of  any  further  works  wrought  in  Phoenicia  before  Christ 
left  there.  Nigh  unto  the  sea  of  Galilee.  Matthew  does  not  make 
plain  on  which  side  of  the  sea  it  is,  but  the  appearance  of  Pharisees 
again  in  16:1  implies  that  he  is  then  on  the  west  side  (Galilee). 
Hence  he  would  now  be  on  the  east  side,  as  Mark  records.  Into 
the  mountain.     The  high  bluff  on  the  eastern  side. 

30.  Great  multitudes.  The  people  do  not  ask  him  to  leave 
this  time.  Mark  gives  a  fuller  account  of  the  work  here,  but  in- 
stead of  the  general  description  of  Matthew  relates  the  cure  of  a  deaf 
stammerer  and  the  marvellous  effect  on  the  crowds.  "  They 
were  beyond  measure  astonished  "  and  the  more  Jesus  enjoined 
silence  the  more  they  spread  the  news.  When  here  before  (Mk. 
5:  19)  Jesus  had  urged  that  the  healed  demoniac  tell  about  his 
blessing.  The  work  of  Christ  was  comparatively  new  in  the  region, 
for  he  had  remained,  it  seems,  only  a  few  hours  the  other  time. 

31.  Wondered.     There  were  no  Pharisees  here  to  restrain. 

i8S 


MATTHEW 


ing,  the  maimed  whole,  and  the  lame  walking,  and  the 
blind  seeing :  and  they  glorified  the  God  of  Israel. 

32.  And  Jesus  called  unto  him  his  disciples,  and  said, 
I  have  compassion  on  the  multitude,  because  they 
continue  with  me  now  three  days  and  have  nothing 
to  eat :  and  I  would  not  send  them  away  fasting,  lest 

33.  haply  they  faint  in  the  way.  And  the  disciples  say 
unto  him,  Whence  should  we  have  so  many  loaves  in 

34.  a  desert  place,  as  to  fill  so  great  a  multitude?  And 
Jesus  saith  unto  them.  How  many  loaves  have  ye? 

35.  And  they  said.  Seven,  and  a  few  small  fishes.  And  he 
commanded  the  multitude  to  sit  down  on  the  ground ; 

36.  and  he  took  the  seven  loaves  and  the  fishes ;  and  he 
gave  thanks  and  brake,  and  gave  to  the  disciples,  and 

37.  the  disciples  to  the  multitudes.  And  they  did  all 
eat,  and  were  filled :  and  they  took  up  that  which  re- 
mained over  of  the  broken  pieces,  seven  baskets  full. 

38.  And  they  that  did  eat  were  four  thousand  men,  beside 


Glorified  the  God  of  Israel.  It  was  a  Greek  region,  though  many 
Jews  came  probably  in  the  crowd.  The  standpoint  is  that  of  the 
Gentiles,  "  the  God  of  Israel." 

32.  I  have  compassion.  Because  of  their  hunger.  Would 
not  send  them  away  fasting.  As  the  disciples  had  proposed  in  the 
case  of  the  five  thousand  (Matt.  14:  15). 

33.  Whence.     The  same  scepticism  as  before  (Mk.  6:37). 

34.  Seven,  and  a  few  small  fishes.  Cf.  the  five  loaves  and 
two  fishes  in  the  other  instance. 

35.  On  the  groimd.  As  before,  but  no  mention  of  grass.  It 
was  probably  now  midsummer. 

37.  Of  the  broken  pieces.  Not  crumbs.  Seven  baskets  full. 
A  different  word  for  basket  is  used  here  in  both  Matthew  and 
Mark,  one  like  a  hamper.  In  the  other  instance  the  basket  was 
a  smaller  one.  The  distinction  is  curiously  preserved  also  in 
Matt.  16 :  9  f.  and  Mk.  8 :  19  f. 

38.  Four  thousand  men.  The  many  points  of  similarity  be- 
tween the  two  miracles  have  led  some  scholars  to  treat  these  as 

186 


MATTHEW 


39.  women  and  children.  And  he  sent  away  the  multi- 
tudes, and  entered  into  the  boat,  and  came  into  the 
borders  of  Magadan. 

6.  Return  to  Galilee,  with  Renewed  Challenge  from 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  16 : 1-4 

16.       And  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  came,  and  tempt-  M 
ing  him  asked  him  to  shew  them  a  sign  from  heaven. 

two  accounts  of  the  same  incident.  But  the  difficulties  are  very- 
great  from  that  point  of  view.  Both  Matthew  and  Mark  record 
both  miracles.  Both  represent  Jesus  as  alluding  to  both  of  them 
(Matt.  16:  9  f . ;  Mk.  8:  19  f.).  The  place  and  time  seem  to  be 
dijfferent.  The  failure  of  the  disciples  to  understand  remains  in 
either  case.  It  is  only  greater  dulness  in  the  case  of  two  miracles 
(Matt.  16  :  9-12).  It  is  best  therefore  to  think  of  two  feedings  of 
the  multitudes. 

39.  The  borders  of  Magadan.  Mark  (8  :  10)  says  Dalmanutha. 
Nothing  is  known  of  either  place  save  that  the  location  is  west  of 
the  Sea  of  Galilee.  Whether  the  two  words  are  corruptions  of  a 
common  original  like  Magdalutha  or  the  place  had  two  names  or 
two  places  are  meant  cannot  be  told. 

I.  The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  The  first  time  that  the 
Sadducees  are  mentioned  as  opposing  Jesus.  They  had  come  out 
to  hear  John  the  Baptist  (Matt.  3:7).  They  have  apparently 
taken  little  interest  in  Jesus  till  now.  They  will  be  mentioned 
again  (Matt.  22 :  23),  but,  as  Caiaphas  was  a  Sadducee  and  they 
were  strong  in  the  Sanhedrin,  they  have  an  equal  share  with  the 
Pharisees  in  the  death  of  Jesus.  When  the  "  chief  priests  "  are 
mentioned,  the  Sadducees  are  implied.  John  does  not  use  the  term 
"  Sadducee,"  Mark  and  Luke  only  once,  Matthew  six  times. 
Here  Mark  (8:  11)  mentions  only  the  Pharisees,  though  he  speaks 
of  "  the  leaven  of  Herod  "  (10 :  15).  It  is  hardly  probable  that  he 
means  the  Sadducees  by  that,  since  the  Herodi'ans  were  a  definite 
political  party.  They  have  (Mk.  3  :  6)  appeared  already  in  con- 
nection with  the  Pharisees  against  Jesus.  Now  the  three  great 
parties  are  all  aligned  against  him.  The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
are  traditional  enemies,  but  now  sink  their  differences  in  common 
opposition  to  Christ.  Perhaps  the  Sadducees  may  have  been 
enlisted  against  Jesus  on  political  grounds.  In  the  Acts  they  will 
first  be  more  active  against  the  disciples  than  the  Pharisees  be- 
cause the  apostles  preached  the  resurrection  (a  doctrinal  objection 
in  the  case  of  Jesus).     Tempting.     Showing  a  hostile  spirit.     A 

187 


MATTHEW 


R  2.  But  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  When  it  is  even- 
ing, ye  say,  //  will  he  fair  weather :  for  the  heaven  is 
3.  red.  And  in  the  morning,  It  will  he  foul  weather 
to-day :  for  the  heaven  is  red  and  lowring.  Ye  know 
how  to  discern  the  face  of  the  heaven ;  but  ye  cannot 

M  4.  discern  the  signs  of  the  times.  An  evil  and  adulterous 
generation  seeketh  after  a  sign;  and  there  shall  no 
sign  be  given  unto  it,  but  the  sign  of  Jonah.  And  he 
left  them,  and  departed. 

7.  Disciples  warned  against  Pharisees  and  Saddticees, 
16:5-12 

M     5.       And  the  disciples  came  to  the  other  side  and  forgot 

6.   to  take  bread.    And  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Take  heed 

and  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sad- 


sign  from  heaven.  They  seek  to  dictate  to  Jesus  the  conditions 
of  success.  Exactly  what  they  meant  we  do  not  know,  but  it  was 
something  spectacular. 

2.  When  it  is  evening.  Suggested  by  their  question.  They 
study  "  the  face  of  the  heaven." 

3.  The  signs  of  the  times.  A  much  more  important  "  sign  " 
than  weather  signs. 

4.  But  the  sign  of  Jonah.  He  had  made  this  reply  to  the  Phari- 
sees before  (Matt.  12  :  39).  He  left  them.  Mark  (8  :  13)  explains 
that  Jesus  "  departed  to  the  other  side,"  the  eastern  side,  going  up 
to  the  region  of  Bethsaida  Julias  (Mk.  8:  22),  where  the  five 
thousand  had  been  fed,  not  to  Decapolis,  where  the  four  thousand 
were  fed.     Cf.  Matt.  16 :  5,  "  the  other  side." 

5.  The  other  side.  As  Mark,  the  eastern  side.  Forgot.  When? 
Mark  explains  that  it  was  in  the  boat  on  the  way  over  that  they 
noticed  the  small  supply  of  bread,  not  more  than  one  loaf 
(8:14). 

6.  The  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  The  mention 
of  bread  suggested  leaven.  They  had  just  left  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees.  Mark  (8  :  15)  mentions  "  the  leaven  of  Herod."  His 
jealousy  of  Jesus  was  well  known  (Matt.  14 :  2).  Christ  had  pos- 
sibly been  near  to  Tiberias,  the  capital  of  Herod  Antipas.  In  the 
case  of  Herod  his  "  leaven  "  was  jealousy,  not  heresy  (teaching). 

188 


MATTHEW 


7.  ducees.    And  they  reasoned  among  themselves,  saying, 

8.  We  took  no  bread.     And  Jesus  perceiving  it  said,  O 
ye  of  Httle  faith,  why  reason  ye  among  yourselves, 

9.  because  ye  have  no  bread  ?    Do  ye  not  yet  perceive, 
neither  remember  the  five  loaves  of  the  five  thousand, 

10.  and  how  many  baskets  ye  took  up  ?  Neither  the  seven 
loaves  of  the  four  thousand,  and  how  many  baskets 

11.  ye  took  up?    How  is  it  that  ye  do  not  perceive  that  R 
I  spake  not  to  you  concerning  bread?    But  beware 

12.  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  Then 
understood  they  how  that  he  bade  them  not  beware 
of  the  leaven  of  bread,  but  of  the  teaching  of  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees. 

8.   The  Twelve  Disciples  examined  near  Ccesarea  Philippi, 
16 :  13-20 

13.  Now  when  Jesus  came  into  the  parts  of  Caesarea  M 
Philippi,  he  asked  his  disciples,  saying.  Who  do  men 

7.  Reasoned  among  themselves.  With  poor  success.  The 
inability  of  the  disciples  to  understand  this  parable  is  astonishing. 

9.  Do  ye  not  yet  perceive.  Jesus  had  been  with  the  disciples 
for  some  months  now  in  retired  districts  giving  them  special  in- 
struction. Their  slowness  of  comprehension  seems  all  the  more 
inexcusable  for  that  reason.  They  were  slaves  of  the  literal  and 
lacked  spiritual  imagination.  Remember.  Their  worry  about 
lack  of  bread  revealed  a  strange  forgetfulness  of  the  power  of 
Jesus  in  the  two  great  miracles  of  feeding  the  crowds. 

II.  Bread.  But  now  Jesus  is  not  speaking  of  bread.  So 
Christ  repeats  his  parable. 

13.  The  parts  of  Caesarea  Philippi.  Mark  (8:  27)  says  "vil- 
lages of  Caesarea  Philippi,"  the  environs  or  suburbs.  This  city 
was  enlarged  and  beautified  by  Philip  and  the  name  changed  from 
the  old  Paneas  (after  the  god  Pan  who  was  worshipped  in  the 
grottoes  near  by).  It  was  beautiful  for  situation  on  the  slopes  of 
the  tetrarchy  of  Philip.  It  was  well  suited  to  Jesus'  purpose,  as 
it  possessed  the  rights  of  asylum.  Asked  his  disciples.  Luke 
(9:18)  says  that  he  had  been    praying.     Jesus    evidently  felt 

189 


MATTHEW 


14.  say  that  the  Son  of  man  is  ?    And  they  said,  Some  say 
John  the  Baptist;  some,  Elijah :  and  others,  Jeremiah, 

15.  or  one  of  the  prophets.    He  saith  unto  them.  But  who 

16.  say  ye  that  I  am?    And  Simon  Peter  answered  and 
said.  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Hving  God. 

that  a  crisis  had  come.  The  populace  in  Galilee  (Jn.  6)  did  not 
understand  him.  The  tension  with  the  Jerusalem  Pharisees  had 
become  more  acute.  The  Sadducees  had  now  taken  a  hand 
against  him.  The  end  was  in  sight.  The  disciples  had  shown 
marvellous  dulness  recently.  So  Jesus  examines  them  on  the 
fundamental  question.  Men  say.  Not  perhaps  that  Jesus  cared 
so  much  for  that.  He  assuredly  already  knew.  But  he  would  be 
concerned  to  note  how  the  disciples  interpreted  public  opinion 
about  him,  and  the  question  would  lead  up  to  another.  The  Son 
of  man.  So  Matthew,  but  Mark  (8  :  27)  and  Luke  (9  :  18)  have 
"  I."  Some  ancient  Mss.  have  "  I  the  Son  of  Man  "  in  Matthew. 
He  may  indeed  have  used  both  expressions  or  this  may  be  a  conflate 
reading. 

14.  Some  say.  The  disciples  know  public  opinion.  It  was 
divided  now  as  it  had  been  for  some  time.  Cf .  Matt.  14:1  f . ; 
Mk.  6  :  14  f. ;  Lk.  9  :  7  f .  Herod  Antipas  had  heard  just  these 
views.  The  disciples  put  "  John  the  Baptist  "  first  as  possibly 
the  most  popular  idea,  the  one  held  by  Herod  Antipas.  This  is  a 
curiously  shallow  interpretation,  since  Jesus  worked  a  good  while 
before  John  was  beheaded.  Perhaps  they  thought  that  the  spirit 
of  John  entered  Jesus.  Some  Elijah.  One  of  the  most  popular 
of  the  prophets  and  the  one  who  was  to  reappear  in  effect  in  the 
work  of  the  Forerunner.  Others,  Jeremiah,  or  one  of  the  proph- 
ets. Isaiah  is  not  mentioned  by  name.  Jeremiah  held  a  high 
place  in  popular  esteem.  There  was  a  hope  that  Jeremiah 
would  come  again.     Cf .  2  Esdras  2  :  1 7  f . 

15.  Say  ye.     This  is  what  matters. 

16.  Simon  Peter.  He  has  come  to  be  the  spokesman  of  the 
twelve.  Peter  had  come  to  Jesus  in  response  to  Andrew's  belief 
that  he  was  the  Messiah  (Jn.  i :  41).  He  with  the  rest  had  wor- 
shipped Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God  (Matt.  14 :  33)  that  night  in  the 
boat.  He  had  expressed  the  loyalty  of  the  twelve  to  Jesus  as  the 
Holy  One  of  God  when  the  crowd  left  him  in  the  synagogue 
(Jn.  6 :  69).  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  Mark 
(8  :  29)  has  only  "  the  Christ,"  Luke  (9  :  29)  "  the  Christ  of  God." 
Matthew  is  more  particular  to  give  details  about  Peter  on  various 
occasions.  So  here  verses  17-19  occur  in  Matthew  alone.  We  do 
not  indeed  know  the  special  source  used,  but,  if  Mk.  is  based 

190 


MATTHEW 


17.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Blessed  art 
thou,  Simon  Bar- Jonah :  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not 
revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in 

18.  heaven.  And  I  also  say  unto  thee,  that  thou  art 
Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church; 

chiefly  on  Peter's  reminiscences,  he  naturally  would  not  tell  the  in- 
cident about  himself.  So  then  Matthew  here  has  a  source  not  used 
by  Luke.  It  bears  the  marks  of  genuineness.  Peter  means  that 
he  ajid  the  rest  still  believe  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah  in  spite  of  the 
diversity  of  opinion  among  the  people.  Note  that  he  here  calls 
Jesus  "  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  though  Jesus  had  called  him- 
self "  the  Son  of  man." 

17.  Simon  Bar- Jonah.  His  Aramaic  name.  Simon,  son  of 
John.  But  my  Fatier  which  is  in  heaven.  Jesus  pronounces  a 
blessing  on  Simon  for  this  spiritual  insight  and  loyalty.  The 
reason  he  (and  the  rest)  had  it,  while  the  people  blundered  in  the 
dark,  was  because  the  Father  had  made  it  known  to  him.  This 
does  not  mean  that  it  was  a  new  discovery  for  Peter.  The  satis- 
faction for  Jesus  is  that  they  do  clearly  perceive  it  in  spite  of  all 
that  had  gone  before.  If  they  continue  to  be  clear  and  firm  on 
this  point,  all  else  of  faith  will  come  in  good  time. 

18.  I  also  say  unto  thee.  Jesus  has  a  word  for  Peter  in  re- 
sponse to  his  noble  confession.  Peter.  He  had  purposely  called 
him  "  Simon  "  and  now  purposely  calls  him  "  Peter."  Jesus 
had  given  this  name  Cephas  (Peter)  in  the  beginning  (Jn.  i :  42). 
Now  he  means  that  he  is  worthy  of  his  name  "  Rock."  Upon 
this  rock.  Jesus  makes  a  play  upon  the  name  Peter  (Rock).  It 
is  not  perfectly  clear  how  Jesus  means  the  figure  to  be  applied. 
He  could  mean  himself  (Christ)  by  "  this  rock,"  if  he  pointed  to 
himself.  Cf .  i  Cor.  3:1;  Eph.  2 :  20 ;  i  Pet.  2  :  4-8.  Jesus 
could  mean  Peter  himself  by  "  this  rock,"  as  the  representative  of 
the  twelve  and  as  confessing  his  faith  in  Christ.  Cf .  Eph.  2  :  20 ; 
Rev.  21 :  14.  Or  Jesus  could  mean  the  confession  of  trust  made  by 
Peter  as  the  rock  on  which,  in  truth,  the  kingdom  is  built.  The 
matter  can  never  be  settled  for  all  minds.  But  the  point  in  the 
question  of  Jesus  was  to  get  just  this  confession.  This  is  what 
Jesus  says  was  revealed  to  Peter,  the  knowledge  that  he  was  the 
Messiah.  This  is  what  Jesus  (vs.  20)  charges  the  disciples  not  to 
tell  as  yet,  viz.  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  Evidently,  therefore, 
the  confession  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah  is  the  central  idea  of  the 
passage,  not  Simon  Peter.  A  little  later  Jesus  will  call  Simon 
"  Satan  "  when  he  grossly  misunderstands  Jesus  (Matt.  16:  23). 
He  will  there  be  acting  the  part  of  Satan  as  he  was  here  showing 

191 


MATTHEW 


and  the  gates  of  Hades  shall  not  prevail  against  it. 

19.   I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven : 

and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be 

bound  in  heaven :  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on 


the  firmness  of  a  rock  in  making  the  confession.  I  will  build. 
The  figure  is  that  of  a  building.  It  is  originally  taken  from  the 
promise  about  the  temple  and  the  kingdom  (2  Sam.  7  :  13-16),  cf. 
Ps.  89 :  4.  So  in  Heb.  3:6,"  whose  house  are  we,"  the  house  of 
God,  the  people  of  God.  In  i  Pet.  2  :  5  Peter  seems  to  recall  the 
image  of  Jesus,  "  ye  also,  as  living  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual 
house,"  addressing  "  the  dispersion  in  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappa- 
docia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia  "  (i  Pet.  i :  i).  This  building  or  house 
of  Christ  is  the  kingdom  presented  under  this  metaphor  (cf.  vs. 
19).  Cf.  the  identification  of  "  the  house  of  Jacob  "  and  "  his 
kingdom  "  in  the  angel's  promise  in  Lk.  i :  33.  My  church. 
Jesus  probably  spoke  in  Aramaic  and,  if  so,  we  do  not  know  the 
word  here  translated  by  ecclesia.  But  already  the  word  ecclesia 
is  used  in  the  LXX  for  "  the  house  of  God,"  the  people  of  Israel  as 
a  whole  (Deut.  18  :  26 ;  23  :  2  ;  Jud.  21:8.  Cf.  Acts  7  :  38 ;  Heb.  2  : 
12).  The  etymology  of  ecclesia  is  "  assembly,"  but  it  has  lost  that 
idea  here  and  is  merged  into  that  of  "  house."  In  the  N.  T.  the 
essential  idea  in  ecclesia  comes  to  be  the  body  of  believers,  not  a 
mere  assembly;  cf.  Acts  8:3;  Eph.  1:23.  It  is  the  body  of 
Christ's  people  (cf.  Eph.  i :  23).  Jesus  means  that  "  My  Israel  " 
(contrasted  with  the  O.  T.  Israel)  will  be  built  upon  personal  trust 
in  myself,  as  just  illustrated  by  Simon  Peter.  There  is  thus  noth- 
ing ecclesiastical  in  Christ's  use  of  "  church  "  here.  The  gates 
of  Hades.  The  figure  of  another  building,  a  fortress  pitted  against 
Christ's  building.  It  has  powerful  gates.  Shall  not  prevail. 
It  is  more  than  doubtful  if  this  is  the  correct  translation.  This 
translation  implies  a  conflict  between  the  two  buildings.  The 
point  is  whether  the  "  church  "  is  here  represented  as  an  aggres- 
sive force  or  a  strong  tower.  At  any  rate  the  building  of  Christ 
will  endure  in  spite  of  the  gates  of  Hades. 

19.  Unto  thee.  To  him  alone?  Or  to  him  since  he  made  the 
good  confession?  The  latter  is  the  more  probable.  The  keys  of 
tile  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  same  figure  of  a  house.  The  keys 
are  for  the  door  into  the  house.  The  "  kingdom  "  is  here  equiva- 
lent to  "  church  "  above,  both  represented  under  the  figure  of 
Christ's  house.  Bind  on  earth.  The  rabbis  used  the  term  for 
"  forbidding."  Loose.  Means  to  allow.  In  the  phraseology  of 
the  rabbis,  every  authorized  teacher  had  the  power  of  binding  or 
loosing.     He    condemned    or    approved.     Cf.    Jn.    20:23.     To 

192 


MATTHEW 


20.  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.  Then  charged  he 
the  disciples  that  they  should  tell  no  man  that  he  was 
the  Christ. 

9.  The  Twelve  told  the  Secret  of  Christ'' s  Death,  16:  21-28 

21.  From  that  time  began  Jesus  to  shew  imto  his  dis- 
ciples, how  that  he  must  go  unto  Jerusalem,  and  suffer 
many  things  of  the  elders  and  chief  priests  and  scribes, 

22.  and  be  killed,  and  the  third  day  be  raised  up.  And 
Peter  took  him,  and  began  to  rebuke  him,  saying,  Be 
it  far  from  thee.  Lord :  this  shall  never  be  unto  thee. 

23.  But  he  turned,  and  said  unto  Peter,  Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan:  thou  art  a  stumblingblock  imto  me:  for 
thou  mindest  not  the  things  of  God,  but  the  things  of 


announce    the    conditions    of    salvation    was    to    "bind"    and 
"  loose." 

20.  Should  tell  no  man.  The  time  was  not  yet  ripe.  The 
disciples  themselves  needed  further  instruction  about  Jesus. 
They  had  now  the  right  foundation. 

21.  From  that  time.  The  time  of  the  confession  of  Peter. 
Began.  A  real  epoch  in  the  teaching  of  Jesus  comes.  It  is  just  a 
little  over  six  months  to  the  end  and  the  disciples  know  nothing  of 
the  death  of  Jesus  save  parabolic  allusions  which  they  did  not 
understand.  Of  the  elders  and  chief  priests  and  scribes.  The 
Sanhedrin,  in  a  word,  where  both  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees 
were  strongly  represented.  Be  killed.  He  tells  them  the  dread- 
ful fact  in  plain  language,  though  he  does  not  yet  use  the  word 
"  crucified."  The  third  day  be  raised.  This  is  the  usual  expres- 
sion of  Jesus  about  his  resurrection.  So  Lk.  9  :  22.  Mark  (8  :  31), 
however,  has  "  after  three  days."  The  two  expressions  are 
clearly  equivalent.  In  free  speech  "  after  three  days  "  may  still 
be  "  on  the  third  day,"  but  "  on  the  third  day  "  cannot  be  "  on 
the  fourth  day." 

22.  Peter  took  him.  His  sense  of  leadership  and  natural  im- 
petuosity led  him  to  presume  too  far.  The  disciples  probably  all 
shared  the  protest  of  Peter,  but  he  with  his  usual  impulsiveness 
took  the  initiative.  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan.  The  devil  had 
tried  to  tempt  Jesus  not  to  die  and  will  try  it  again  in  the  Garden 

o  193 


MATTHEW 


24.  men.  Then  said  Jesus  unto  his  disciples,  If  any  man 
would  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take 

25.  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me.  For  whosoever  would 
save  his  life  shall  lose  it :  and  whosoever  shall  lose  his 

26.  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it.  For  what  shall  a  man 
be  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  for- 
feit his  life  ?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for 

27.  his  life?  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory 
of  his  Father  with  his  angels ;  and  then  shall  he  render 

28.  unto  every  man  according  to  his  deeds.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you.  There  be  some  of  them  that  stand  here, 
which  shall  in  no  wise  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom. 

of  Gethsemane.     Here  the  same  temptation  comes  from  Peter. 
He  has  let  himself  be  the  tool  of  Satan. 

24.  Would  come.  Is  willing  to  come.  Take  up  his  cross. 
The  cross  was  a  common  enough  image  at  that  time.  Probably 
Jesus  has  in  mind  indeed  his  own  cross,  the  shadow  of  which  was 
already  across  his  path.  He  himself  was  going  to  bear  his  cross. 
He  made  that  demand  of  others. 

25.  Life.  Used  here  in  two  senses,  the  temporal  and  the  eter- 
nal. These  sayings,  like  others  by  Jesus,  were  repeated  on  various 
occasions.  Cf.  Matt.  10:37-39.  Luke  has  them  three  times 
(9:  23;  14:  25  ff.;  17:33). 

27.  Shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with  his  angels.  A 
very  difl&cult  passage.  It  is  plainly  apocalyptic.  He  has  in 
mind  the  consummation  of  his  work.  Does  he  refer  to  the  second 
coming?  To  his  transfiguration?  To  his  resurrection?  To  the 
day  of  Pentecost?  To  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem?  The  es- 
chatological  sayings  of  Jesus  are  the  most  obscure.  Highly 
figurative  language  in  apocalyptic  is  not  to  be  pressed  too 
far. 

28.  There  be  some  of  them  that  stand  here.  This  was  true  of 
his  transfiguration,  resurrection,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  Pentecost.  Coming  in  his 
kingdom.  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  was  a  real  coming  in 
power,  as  it  marked  the  passing  of  Judaism  and  was  a  symbol  of 
the  final  coming.  Note  the  same  highly  wrought  figures  quoted 
by  Peter  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost  (Acts  2  :  15-21).  The  next  in- 
cident is  the  transfiguration.     Does  that  signify  anything? 

194 


MATTHEW 


lo.   A  Glimpse  of  the  Glory  of  the  Son  of  God,  17 : 1-13 

17.       And  after  six  days  Jesus  taketh  with  him  Peter,  and 
James,  and  John  his  brother,  and  bringeth  them  up 

2.  into  a  high  mountain  apart :  and  he  was  transfigured 
before  them :  and  his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his 

3.  garments  became  white  as  the  Hght.    And  behold, 
there  appeared  imto  them  Moses  and  EHjah  talking 

4.  with  him.    And  Peter  answered,  and  said  unto  Jesus, 


1.  After  six  days.  Luke  (9  :  28)  says  "  about  eight  days."  Mat- 
thew has  followed  Mark,  A  week  is  probably  meant  by  both  ex- 
pressions. Cf .  the  French  and  German  idiom.  Peter,  and  James, 
and  John.  As  at  the  raising  of  Jairus's  daughter  and  in  the  Gar- 
den of  Gethsemane.  A  high  mountain  apart.  One  of  the  lower 
spurs  of  Hermon  in  all  probability.  Luke  (9 :  28  f.)  adds  that  he 
went  up  to  pray. 

2.  Was  transfigured.  We  cannot  form  a  very  clear  idea  of 
this  wonderful  manifestation.  The  fact  is  attested  by  all  the 
Synoptic  Gospels  and  by  2  Pet.  i :  16-18.  If  this  epistle  is  gen- 
uine, that  would  be  a  personal  reminiscence  of  Peter.  At  any 
rate  we  probably  have  that  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark.  The  event 
can  only  be  attacked  on  the  ground  of  its  being  supernatural. 
The  crisis  in  the  work  of  Jesus  amply  justifies  this  remarkable 
experience.  The  disciples  as  a  whole  had  failed  to  understand 
the  death  and  resurrection  of  the  Master.  These  three  are  given 
a  glimpse  of  the  glory  of  Christ  that  will  never  pass  from  them. 
This  knowledge  ought  to  stand  them  in  good  stead  when  the  dark 
days  of  the  crucifixion  come.     But  will  it? 

3.  Appeared  unto  them  Moses  and  Elijah.  Not  a  dream,  but  a 
real  manifestation.  It  is  noteworthy  that  Moses  had  an  unusual 
death  and  burial  on  Mt.  Nebo  and  Elijah  had  been  translated  in 
a  whirlwind.  Besides  Moses  was  the  exponent  of  law  and  Elijah 
of  prophecy.  The  law  and  the  prophets  are  fulfilled  in  Christ. 
So  then  Elijah  did  come  himself  to  greet  the  Messiah,  though 
John  the  Baptist  was  the  Forerunner  like  Elijah.  There  was  a 
Jewish  hope  that  Moses  would  come  with  Elijah.  Talking  with 
him.  Luke  (9:31)  explains  "of  his  decease"  or  departure 
(exodus).  Cf.  2  Pet.  1:15.  It  was  the  death  of  Jesus  that  the 
disciples  had  failed  to  understand.  Moses  and  Elijah  do  under- 
stand and  can  give  Jesus  the  needed  sympathy. 

4.  Peter  answered.     Mark  (9 :  6)  has  "  for  he  wist  not  what  to 

19s 


MATTHEW 


Lord,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here :  if  thou  wilt,  I  will 
make  here  three  tabernacles;   one  for  thee,  and  one 

5.  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elijah.  While  he  was  yet 
speaking,  behold,  a  bright  cloud  overshadowed  them : 
and  behold,  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  saying,  This  is 
my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye 

6.  him.    And  when  the  disciples  heard  it,  they  fell  on 

7.  their  face,  and  were  sore  afraid.    And  Jesus  came  and 

8.  touched  them  and  said.  Arise,  and  be  not  afraid.  And 
lifting  up  their  eyes,  they  saw  no  one,  save  Jesus  only. 

9.  And  as  they  were  coming  down  from  the  mountain, 
Jesus  commanded  them,  saying.  Tell  the  vision  to  no 
man,  until  the  Son  of  man  be  risen  from  the  dead. 

10.  And  his  disciples  asked  him,  saying.  Why  then  say  the 


answer,"  while  Luke  (9 :  33)  puts  it  more  bluntly,  "  not  knowing 
what  he  said."  Matthew  has,  as  a  rule,  less  that  reflects  on  the 
disciples,  Peter  in  particular,  Peter  was  probably  embarrassed 
and  excited  as  well  as  still  "  heavy  with  sleep  "  (Lk.  9 :  32).  It 
was  probably  at  night,  since  Luke  (9 :  37)  has  "on  the  next  day." 
Three  tabernacles.  Or,  booths.  It  may  have  been  near  the 
feast  of  tabernacles  (Jn.  7 :  2)  which  Jesus  shortly  attended. 
Peter  may  have  meant  that  they  could  keep  the  feast  up  here  on 
the  mountain. 

5.  Overshadowed  them.  Probably  all  of  them  (Lk.  9:  14), 
since  they  entered  the  cloud.  A  voice  out  of  the  cloud.  This 
voice  had  spoken  to  John  and  Jesus  at  the  Jordan  (Matt.  3:17) 
and  will  speak  again  in  the  hearing  of  the  multitude  in  Jerusalem 
(Jn.  12:  28).  Three  times  the  Father  gave  audible  approval  to 
the  Son.  Hear  ye  him.  This  addition  is  in  all  the  Synoptics. 
This  is  just  what  the  disciples  had  not  done  concerning  the  matter 
of  his  death. 

6.  They  fell  on  their  face.     In  awe  and  dread. 

7.  Touched  them.     In  sympathy  as  a  mother  her  child. 

8.  Saw  no  one,  save  Jesus  only.  Moses  and  Elijah  were 
gone. 

9.  Coming  down.  Probably  in  the  early  dawn.  Tell  the  vis- 
ion to  no  man.  None  would  understand.  Risen  from  the  dead. 
Mark  (9 :  10)  adds  that  the  disciples  are  puzzled  over  the  resur- 
rection. 

196 


MATTHEW 


1 1 .  scribes  that  Elijah  must  first  come  ?  And  he  answered 
and  said,  EHjah  indeed  cometh,  and  shall  restore  all 

12.  things:  but  I  say  unto  you,  that  Elijah  is  come  al- 
ready, and  they  knew  him  not,  but  did  unto  him  what- 
soever they  listed.     Even  so  shall  the  Son  of  man  also 

13.  suffer  of  them.  Then  understood  the  disciples  that 
he  spake  imto  them  of  John  the  Baptist. 

II.  Failure  of  the  Disciples  to  cure  an  Epileptic  Boy^ 
17:14-23 

14.  And  when  they  were  come  to  the  multitude,  there 

15.  came  to  him  a  man,  kneeHng  to  him,  and  saying.  Lord, 
have  mercy  on  my  son:  for  he  is  epileptic,  and  suffer- 
eth  grievously:  for  oft-times  he  falleth  into  the  fire, 

16.  and  oft-times  into  the  water.     And  I  brought  him  to 

17.  thy  disciples,  and  they  could  not  cure  him.  And  Jesus 
answered  and  said,  O  faithless  and  perverse  generation, 


10.  Elijah  must  first  come.  A  piece  of  rabbinical  theology 
(the  scribes)  that  is  true  in  one  sense,  that  meant  by  Malachi. 

11.  Restore  all  things.  Get  ready  for  the  Messiah.  Cf. 
Matt.  3 :  3. 

12.  Elijah  is  come  already.  John  the  Baptist.  They  knew 
him  not.  As  they  do  not  know  Jesus  the  Messiah  (Jn.  i :  10). 
Did  mito  him.  Herod  and  Herodias.  Even  so.  A  suffering 
Messiah  is  to  follow  a  suffering  Forerunner. 

13.  Then  imderstood.  Matthew  alone  gives  this  item.  The 
point  was  plain  enough. 

14.  To  the  multitude.  Apparently  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain 
(Luke  9:37).  ^ 

15.  Epileptic.  Literally,  moon-struck  (lunatic).  The  symp- 
toms are  those  of  epilepsy.  Cf .  4 :  24.  The  boy  has  a  demon 
also  (vs.  18) .  The  demon  has  caused  the  epilepsy  or  has  come  upon 
the  boy  because  of  epilepsy. 

16.  They  could  not  cure  him.  The  disciples  had  cast  out  de- 
mons, but  they  are  helpless  now. 

17.  O  faithless  and  perverse  generation.  The  whole  dreadful 
situation  is  pathetic  to  Jesus. 

197 


MATTHEW 


how  long  shall  I  be  with  you  ?  how  long  shall  I  bear 
i8.  with  you?    bring  him  hither  to  me.    And  Jesus  re- 
buked him ;   and  the  devil  went  out  from  him :   and 

19.  the  boy  was  cured  from  that  hour.  Then  came  the 
disciples  to  Jesus  apart,  and  said,  Why  could  not  we 

20.  cast  it  out  ?  And  he  saith  unto  them.  Because  of  your 
little  faith :  for  verily  I  say  xmto  you,  If  ye  have  faith 
as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  ye  shall  say  unto  this  moun- 
tain, Remove  hence  to  yonder  place ;  and  it  shall  re- 
move ;  and  nothing  shall  be  impossible  unto  you. 

22.  And  while  they  abode  in  Galilee,  Jesus  said  imto 
them.  The  Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered  up  into  the 

23.  hands  of  men;  and  they  shall  kill  him,  and  the  third 
day  he  shall  be  raised  up.  And  they  were  exceeding 
sorry. 

12.  Jesus  Pays  the  Temple  Tax,  17 :  24-27 

R  24.       And  when  they  were  come  to  Capernaum,  they  that 
received  the  half-shekel  came  to  Peter,  and  said.  Doth 


18.  Devil  went  out.  Jesus  could  cure  the  boy  at  any  rate. 
Mark  (9:  21-24)  gives  a  vivid  narrative  of  the  conversation  be- 
tween Jesus  and  the  father  of  the  boy. 

19.  Apart.     Where  others  could  not  hear. 

20.  Your  little  faith.  As  now,  alas.  As  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed.  If  it  is  real  faith.  This  mountain.  Hermon.  It  is  a  par- 
able, of  course,  but  a  powerful  one.  Nothing.  That  they  ought 
to  do. 

22.  Abode  in  Galilee.  They  are  now  back  in  Galilee  again. 
Mark  (9  :  30)  explains  that  Jesus  is  concealing  his  presence.  De- 
livered up.  Now  that  three  of  them  have  seen  his  glory,  Jesus 
repeats  his  words  about  his  death. 

23.  The  third  day.  Mark  (9:31)  "after  three  days."  Ex- 
ceeding sorry.  But  still  unable  to  understand  (Mk.  9:32). 
Luke  (9 :  45)  remarks  that  this  saying  was  concealed  from  them, 

24.  Capemaiun.  Apparently  the  last  visit  to  his  recent  home. 
Mark  (9:33)  also  mentions  this  fact.  The  half -shekel.  The 
Greek  didrachmon  (double  drachm)  was  about  equal   to  a   half- 

198 


MATTHEW 


25.  not  your  master  pay  the  half-shekel  ?  He  saith,  Yea. 
And  when  he  came  into  the  house,  Jesus  spake  first 
to  him,  saying,  What  thinkest  thou,  Simon  ?  the  kings 
of  the  earth,  from  whom  do  they  receive  toll  or  tribute  ? 

26.  from  their  sons,  or  from  strangers?  And  when  he 
said.  From  strangers,  Jesus  said  imto  him.  Therefore 

27.  the  sons  are  free.  But,  lest  we  cause  them  to  stumble, 
go  thou  to  the  sea,  and  cast  a  hook,  and  take  up  the 
fish  that  first  cometh  up ;  and  when  thou  hast  opened 
his  mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a  shekel:  that  take,  and 
give  unto  them  for  me  and  thee. 

13.   The  Jealousy  of  the  Disciples  ^  18: 1-14 

18.       In  that  hour  came  the  disciples  unto  Jesus,  saying,  M 
2.   Who  then  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?    And 

shekel  (Josephus,  Ant.  iii.  194).  The  half-shekel  (Ex.  30:  11  f.) 
was  the  regular  temple  tax  imposed  on  all  males  over  twenty.  It 
was  about  thirty  cents  in  value.  Came  to  Peter.  As  the  leader 
among  the  disciples.  The  tax  was  due  in  the  spring.  It  was  now 
early  autumn,  but  Jesus  had  been  absent  from  Capernaum. 
Does  not  your  master  pay.     It  is  assumed  that  the  disciples  do. 

25.  Yea.  Peter  knew  that  Jesus  always  paid  his  tax.  First 
to  him.  It  was  probably  in  the  house  of  Peter.  Jesus  may  have 
noticed  the  tax  collectors  outside,  and  knew  why  they  had  come. 
So  he  speaks  to  Peter  before  he  can  tell  of  their  inquiry. 

26.  Therefore  the  sons  are  free.  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God  need 
not  pay  tax  for  his  Father's  temple.  The  plural  is  probably  used 
to  make  the  reference  ambiguous  to  the  collectors. 

27.  Shekel.  Two  half-shekels  {stater  in  Greek),  one  for  Jesus 
and  one  for  Peter.  This  miracle  was  partly  for  Christ's  own  use. 
It  also  taught  a  lesson  to  the  disciples,  the  Sonship  of  Jesus.  It 
was  a  miracle  of  knowledge,  not  of  power.  Some  think  it  a  mere 
metaphor  or  parable,  since  Matthew  does  not  state  that  Peter 
caught  the  fish. 

I.  In  that  hour.  The  time  of  the  incident  about  the  temple 
tax.  Mark  (9 :  33)  adds  that  they  were  in  the  house,  the  one  in 
Capernaum  where  Jesus  usually  stayed,  probably  Peter's  house. 
Who  then  is  greatest.     The  word  "  then  "  seems  to  refer  to  the 

199 


MATTHEW 


he  called  to  him  a  httle  child,  and  set  him  in  the  midst 

3.  of  them,  and  said.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye 
turn,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  in  no  wise 

4.  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     Whosoever  there- 
fore shall  humble  himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same 

5.  is  the  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     And  whoso 
shall  receive  one  such  little  child  in  my  name  receiveth 

prominence  of  Peter  in  the  matter  of  the  temple  tax.  Peter  had 
been  unusually  prominent  of  late  {e.g.  the  confession  at  Caesarea 
Philippi,  his  rebuke  to  Jesus  about  his  death,  the  transfiguration, 
and  now  the  tax  incident).  Mark  (9:34)  explains  that  "  they 
had  disputed  one  with  another  in  the  way."  This  had  probably 
been  on  the  way  to  Capernaum.  Luke  (9  :  46)  softens  the  dispute 
to  "  reasoning,"  while  Matthew  has  omitted  it  entirely.  It  is 
indeed  a  pitiful  story.  According  to  Mark  (9 :  33)  Jesus  asked 
them  what  they  had  been  reasoning  about.  Through  shame  they 
kept  silent,  but  finally  appealed  to  him  to  solve  this  dispute 
(Matt.  18:1).  They  have  failed  to  understand  the  words  of 
Jesus  about  his  death  and  resurrection  and  are  thinking  only  of  the 
political  kingdom  which  they  expect  soon  to  come.  At  bottom 
their  dispute  is  as  to  which  one  of  them  will  be  most  influential 
in  the  Messianic  kingdom.  It  was  in  a  sense  a  challenge  of  the 
prominence  of  Peter,  but  also  a  revelation  of  their  own  weak- 
ness. 

2.  Called  to  him  a  little  child.  One  in  the  house,  possibly  a 
child  of  Peter,  but  most  unlikely  Ignatius,  as  tradition  reports. 
Jesus  wishes  to  give  the  disciples  an  object  lesson  in  humility. 
Mark  (9 :  36)  notes  that  Jesus  set  the  child  in  the  midst  of  the 
disciples  and  then  took  him  in  his  arms. 

3.  Except  ye  turn,  and  become  as  little  children.  Jesus  ap- 
plies the  object  lesson  to  the  disciples.  The  spirit  of  envy  will 
prevent  entrance  into  the  Kingdom  of  heaven  at  all.  There  will 
then  be  no  need  for  dispute  about  preeminence.  It  is  a  sharp 
rebuke.  Jesus  does  not  stop  to  explain  about  the  true  idea  of  the 
kingdom.  He  wishes  rather  to  kill  the  spirit  of  jealousy.  A 
child  is  gentle,  humble,  trustful.  Cf.  Mk.  10:15  on  a  later 
occasion. 

4.  As  this  little  child.  All  the  more  pertinent  if  it  was  the 
child  of  Peter. 

5.  Receive  one  such  little  thild  in  my  name.  The  childlike 
believer  is  the  idea,  as  in  verse  6.  A  further  rebuke  for  the  selfish 
suspicion  of  the  disciples. 

200 


MATTHEW 


6.  me:  but  whoso  shall  cause  one  of  these  little  ones 
which  beheve  on  me  to  stumble,  it  is  profitable  for 
him  that  a  great  millstone  should  be  hanged  about  his 
neck,  and  that  he  should  be  sunk  in  the  depth  of  the 

7.  sea.  Woe  unto  the  world  because  of  occasions  of 
stumbling !  for  it  must  needs  be  that  the  occasions 
come ;  but  woe  to  that  man  through  whom  the  occa- 

8.  sion  Cometh !  And  if  thy  hand  or  thy  foot  causeth 
thee  to  stumble,  cut  it  off,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  it  is 
good  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed  or  halt,  rather 
than  having  two  hands  or  two  feet  to  be  cast  into  the 

9.  eternal  fire.  And  if  thine  eye  causeth  thee  to  stumble, 
pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  it  is  good  for  thee 
to  enter  into  life  with  one  eye,  rather  than  having  two 

10.  eyes  to  be  cast  into  the  hell  of  fire.  See  that  ye  de- 
spise not  one  of  these  little  ones ;  for  I  say  unto  you, 
that  in  heaven  their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face 


6.  Cause  one  of  these  little  ones.  Mark  (9:38)  at  this  point 
reports  an  interruption  by  John,  who  tells  of  his  own  zeal  for  Jesus 
in  rebuking  workers  not  in  their  group.  John  may  have  meant  it 
as  a  diversion.  But  if  so,  it  did  not  succeed,  for  it  became  the 
occasion  of  another  stern  rebuke  from  Jesus.  The  reference  here 
is  plainly  to  childlike  believers.  It  is  an  easy  transition  from 
stumbling  to  leading  others  to  stumble. 

7.  Woe  to  that  man  through  whom  the  occasion  cometh.  If 
the  fate  contemplated  seem  severe,  it  may  be  remarked  that  it  is 
not  exactly  punishment  that  Christ  here  sets  forth.  It  is  better 
to  meet  a  violent  death  before  one  commits  the  sin  of  leading 
believers  astray. 

8.  Enter  into  life.  One  may  let  his  nature  lead  him  astray. 
Mutilation  is  better  than  such  a  fate.  The  best  thing  is,  of  course, 
mastery  of  one's  lower  nature. 

10.  Their  angels.  It  is  not  clear  that  the  Master  teaches  that 
each  spiritual  child  (believer)  has  a  special  guardian  angel.  He 
does  mean  that  there  are  angels  in  the  presence  of  God  glad  to 
minister  to  God  for  the  blessing  of  the  saints  (cf.  Heb.  i :  14). 
The  reference  is  vague,  as  are  many  of  the  allusions  to  angels. 


MATTHEW 


12.  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  How  think  ye? 
if  any  man  have  a  hundred  sheep,  and  one  of  them  be 
gone  astray,  doth  he  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine, 
and  go  unto  the  mountains,  and  seek  that  which  goeth 

13.  astray  ?  And  if  so  be  that  he  find  it,  verily  I  say  unto 
you,  he  rejoiceth  over  it  more  than  over  the  ninety 

14.  and  nine  which  have  not  gone  astray.  Even  so  it  is 
not  the  will  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  that 
one  of  these  little  ones  should  perish. 

14.  Conduct  toward  Church  Members  Guilty  of  Personal 

Wrong,  18 :  15-35 

15.  And  if  thy  brother  sin  against  thee,  go,  shew  him 
his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone :  if  he  hear  thee, 

16.  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.  But  if  he  hear  thee  not, 
take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  at  the  mouth  of 
two  witnesses  or  three  every  word  may  be  established. 

17.  And  if  he  refuse  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church : 


12.  A  hundred  sheep.  Cf.  Lk.  15:4,  where  this  parable  is 
repeated.     Vs.  11  is  not  genuine  here,  but  occurs  in  Lk.  19:  10. 

14.  Your  Father.     Some  Mss.  read  "  my  Father." 

15.  Against  thee.  These  words  are  possibly  not  genuine,  but 
they  correctly  interpret  the  sense,  as  is  plain  from  vs.  21  f.;  also 
Lk.  17:3  f .,  where  this  logion  occurs  in  another  connection. 
Matthew  alone  gives  this  section  about  personal  offence.  It  is 
possible  that  it  may  belong  elsewhere  (or  part  of  it),  though  on 
the  whole  it  fits  in  quite  well  with  the  verses  just  before  (10-14) 
about  the  treatment  of  Christ's  little  ones.  Between  thee  and 
him  alone.  The  first  step.  Jesus  assumes  that  the  offending 
brother  is  not  fully  conscious  of  the  wrong  he  has  done  (as  is  usu- 
ally the  case),  but  he  suggests  that  the  one  who  is  wronged  take 
the  initiative  for  obvious  reasons. 

16.  One  or  two  more.  Cf .  Deut.  19 :  15.  But  the  point  of  view 
is  conciliatory. 

17.  If  he  refuses  to  hear  them.  Forgiveness  of  injuries  as- 
sumes understanding  and  confession.  But  the  case  is  not  yet 
hopeless.    Tell  it  imto  the  church.     As  a  last  resort.     Many  a 

202 


MATTHEW 


and  if  he  refuse  to  hear  the  church  also,  let  him  be  unto 

1 8.  thee  as  the  Gentile  and  the  pubUcan.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  What  things  soever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven :  and  what  things  soever  ye 

19.  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.  Again 
I  say  unto  you,  that  if  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth 
as  touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be 

20.  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  For 
where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name, 
there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them. 

21.  Then  came  Peter,  and  said  to  him.  Lord,  how  oft 
shall  my  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him? 

church  would  be  spared  untold  trouble  if  the  method  here  out- 
lined were  always  followed.  The  word  "church  "  is  the  same 
one  used  in  Matt.  16  :  18,  but  the  connotation  is  different.  There 
the  new  "  Israel  "  of  Jesus  was  the  idea.  Here  the  new  "  syna- 
gogue "  of  Jesus  is  the  concept,  the  future  local  church  (cf.  Acts 
and  Epistles  generally).  Let  him  be  unto  thee  as  the  Gentile 
and  the  publican.  He  has  proven  unwilling  to  respond  to  all 
overtures.  Jesus  does  not  mention  expulsion  from  the  church. 
That  is  a  matter  for  practical  wisdom.  It  is  conceivable  in  some 
cases  that  it  may  even  be  wiser  for  the  wronged  brother  to  change 
his  membership  rather  than  divide  the  church  on  a  personal 
matter. 

18.  Ye  shall  bind  on  earth.  This  power  is  here  attributed  to 
the  disciples  as  believers,  not  as  apostles.  This  fact  has  an  im- 
portant bearing  on  the  interpretation  of  Matt.  16 :  19,  showing 
that  the  authority  was  not  limited  to  Peter.  The  assumption  is, 
of  course,  that  the  believers  will  agree  on  what  is  right.  If  they 
disagree  or  decide  wrongly,  the  promised  blessing  does  not  follow. 

19.  If  two  of  you  shall  agree.  This  is  no  reflection  on  indi- 
vidual prayers,  but  Christians  in  all  ages  bear  testimony  to  the 
blessing  of  God  upon  the  united  prayers  of  believers. 

20.  There  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.  Cf .  Matt.  28 :  20. 
There  is  a  logion  in  the  Oxyrhynchus  Sayings  of  Our  Lord,  which 
reads  :  "  Wherever  there  are  (two)  they  are  not  without  God,  and 
wherever  there  is  one  alone,  I  say  I  am  with  him."  Cf.  also  Mai. 
3:16. 

21.  Then  came  Peter.  As  usual,  Peter  is  more  prominent  in 
the  Gospel  of  Matthew.     It  is  not  necessary  to  think  that  the  dis- 

203 


MATTHEW 


22.  until  seven  times?  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  say  not 
unto  thee,  Until  seven  times ;  but.  Until  seventy  times 

23.  seven.  Therefore  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  likened 
unto  a  certain  king,  which  would  make  a  reckoning 

24.  _with  his  servants.    And  when  he  had  begun  to  reckon, 

one  was  brought  unto  him,  which  owed  him  ten  thou- 

25.  sand  talents.  But  forasmuch  as  he  had  not  wherewith 
to  pay,  his  lord  commanded  him  to  be  sold,  and  his 
wife,  and  children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and  payment 

26.  to  be  made.  The  servant  therefore  fell  down  and 
worshipped  him,  saying.  Lord,  have  patience  with  me, 

27.  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  And  the  lord  of  that  servant, 
being  moved  with  compassion,  released  him,  and  for- 

28.  gave  him  the  debt.  But  that  servant  went  out,  and 
found  one  of  his  fellow-servants,  which  owed  him  a 
hundred  pence:   and  he  laid  hold  on  him,  and  took 

29.  him  by  the  throat,  saying.  Pay  what  thou  owest.  So 
his  fellow-servant  fell  down  and  besought  him,  saying, 

30.  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee.  And  he 
would  not :  but  went  and  cast  him  into  prison,  till  he 


putes  and  jealousies  among  the  disciples  had  come  to  the  point  of 
unwillingness  to  forgive  each  other  what  had  been  said.  But  at 
any  rate  the  question  is  timely  and  Peter  is  quick  to  see  its  bear- 
ing. Until  seven  times.  A  round  number.  Probably  Peter 
thought  that  the  limit. 

22.  Seventy  times  seven.  Cf.  also  Gen.  4:  24  (LXX).  It  is 
possible  that  in  each  passage  seventy-seven  is  the  true  translation, 
though  it  is  by  no  means  certain.  But,  in  either  case,  forgiveness 
would  become  a  habit  if  practised  so  many  times.  An  indefinite 
number  of  times  is  what  Jesus  means.  So  God  has  to  forgive  us 
many  times. 

23.  Therefore.  The  parable  of  the  unmerciful  servant  is  thus 
connected  with  the  reply  to  Peter's  question. 

24.  Ten  thousand  talents.  Probably  ten  or  twelve  million 
dollars  in  our  modern  money,  a  debt  to  a  king.  The  large  amount 
is  mentioned  to  express  in  this  way  our  debt  to  God. 

204 


MATTHEW 


31.  should  pay  that  which  was  due.  So  when  his  fellow- 
servants  saw  what  was  done,  they  were  exceeding 
sorry,  and  came  and  told  unto  their  lord  all  that  was 

32.  done.  Then  his  lord  called  him  unto  him,  and  saith 
to  him.  Thou  wicked  servant,  I  forgave  thee  all  that 

33.  debt,  because  thou  besoughtest  me:  shouldest  not 
thou  also  have  had  mercy  on  thy  fellow-servant,  even 

34.  as  I  had  mercy  on  thee  ?  And  his  lord  was  wroth,  and 
delivered  him  to  the  tormentors,  till  he  should  pay  all 

35.  that  was  due.  So  shall  also  my  heavenly  Father  do 
unto  you,  if  ye  forgive  not  every  one  his  brother  from 
your  hearts. 


34.  His  lord  was  wroth.     This  is  the  main  point  in  the  par- 
able, the  anger  of  God  at  an  unforgiving  spirit. 

35.  From  your  hearts.     Nothing  else  is  forgiveness.     Cher- 
ished resentment  is  not  forgiveness. 


loa 


VI.  Jesus  turning  his  Face  toward  Jerusalem,  Chs. 
19  and  20 

I.  In  Perea  with  the  Multitudes ^  19:1-2 

19.       And  it  came  to  pass  when  Jesus  had  finished  these 
words,  he  departed  from  Galilee,  and  came  into  the 

2.  borders  of  Judaea  beyond  Jordan;    and  great  multi- 
tudes followed  him;   and  he  healed  them  there. 

2.  Pharisees  tempt  Jesus  with  the  Divorce  Problem ,  19 :  3-12 

3.  And  there  came  unto  him  Pharisees,  tempting  him, 
and  saying,  Is  it  lawful  for  a  man  to  put  away  his  wife 


1.  Had  finished  these  words.  A  common  expression  in  Mat- 
thew when  he  passes  from  one  topic  to  another  (7:  28;  11:  i; 
13:  53;  26:  i).  It  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  the  two  in- 
cidents follow  one  another  at  once.  But,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  there 
is  probably  a  gap  of  nearly  six  months  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus  that 
Matthew  skips  entirely.  We  must  turn  to  Luke  and  John  for 
knowledge  of  the  period  from  the  feast  of  tabernacles  to  the  rais- 
ing of  Lazarus  shortly  before  the  death  of  Jesus  (passover).  Mat- 
thew, like  Mark,  turns  at  once  to  the  last  journey  to  Jerusalem. 
He  departed  from  Galilee.  For  the  last  time.  He  had  come  up 
to  Galilee  from  Judea  (Jn.  11 :  54;  Lk.  17  :  11).  The  borders  of 
Judaea  beyond  Jordan.  Judea  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  all 
Palestine.     Jesus  goes  down  through  Perea. 

2.  Great  multitudes.  Many  were  on  their  way  to  the  pass- 
over.  They  went  often  in  caravans.  Healed  them.  And 
"taught  them"  (Mk.  10:1).  This  later  Perean  ministry  re- 
sembles that  in  Galilee. 

3.  Pharisees,  tempting  him.  As  usual  (12:2;  15:1;  16 :  i ; 
22:  17,  35).  They  know  the  attitude  of  Jesus  toward  divorce 
(cf.  Matt.  5  :  31  f.).  They  may  have  the  fate  of  John  the  Baptist 
in  mind,  not  being  far  from  Machaerus  and  may  hope  that  Jesus, 
like  John,  will  incur  the  enmity  of  Herod  Antipas  and  Herodias. 

206 


MATTHEW 


4.  for  every  cause?  And  he  answered  and  said,  Have 
ye  not  read,  that  he  which  made  them  from  the  be- 

5.  ginning  made  them  male  and  female,  and  said,  For 
this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and 
shall  cleave  to  his  wife;   and  the  twain  shall  become 

6.  one  flesh  ?  So  that  they  are  no  more  twain,  but  one 
flesh.    What  therefore  God  hath  joined  together,  let 

7.  not  man  put  asunder.  They  say  unto  him.  Why  then 
did  Moses  command  to  give  a  bill  of  divorcement,  and 

8.  to  put  her  away  ?  He  saith  unto  them,  Moses  for  your 
hardness  of  heart  suffered  you  to  put  away  your  wives : 

9.  but  from  the  beginning  it  hath  not  been  so.    And  I 

They  are  themselves  divided  on  the  question  of  divorce.  The 
school  of  Hillel  interpret  Deut.  24 :  i  ("  because  he  hath  found 
something  unseemly  in  her  ")  as  allowing  divorce  for  every  whim 
of  the  husband.  The  school  of  Shammai  interpret  it  as  applying 
only  to  unchastity.  They  expected  Jesus  to  be  compelled  to  take 
sides.  The  lax  view  was  popular,  the  strict  unpopular.  For 
every  cause.  The  question  is  raised  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
school  of  Hillel. 

4.  From  the  beginning.  This  is  the  most  significant  thing  in 
the  reply  of  Jesus.  He  appealed  from  their  quibbles  about  the 
meaning  of  the  words  of  Moses  to  the  original  purpose  of  God  in 
the  marriage  bond. 

5.  And  said.  The  words  of  Adam  in  Gen.  2  :  24.  The  "  and 
said  "  is  not  in  Mark. 

6.  Let  not  man  put  astmder.  A  direct  attack  on  loose  views 
of  marriage. 

7.  Why  then  did  Moses  command  to  give  a  bill  of  divorce- 
ment, and  to  put  her  away?  Probably  this  inquiry  came  from 
the  school  of  Hillel,  who  had  been  hit  the  hardest.  Note  the 
addition,  "  and  to  put  her  away."  Moses  did  not  "  command  " 
that.  Evidently  the  regulation  about  stoning  a  wife  guilty  of 
adultery  was  not  considered  compulsory. 

8.  For  your  hardness  of  heart  sufifered  you  to  put  away  your 
wives.  The  bill  of  divorce  was  a  protection  to  the  wife  and  was 
a  restriction  in  that  rude  age  on  the  still  looser  customs.  It  was 
an  advance  toward  the  original  ideal,  though  a  concession  to  their 
lack  of  development.  But  from  the  beginning  it  hath  not  been 
so.     A  clear  statement  that  the  ideal  originally  contemplated  by 

207 


MATTHEW 


say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife, 
except  for  fornication,  and  shall  marry  another,  com- 
mitteth  adultery :  and  he  that  marrieth  her  when  she 

10.  is  put  away  committeth  adultery.    The  disciples  say 
unto  him.  If  the  case  of  the  man  is  so  with  his  wife, 

11.  it  is  not  expedient  to  marry.     But  he  said  imto  them, 


God  did  not  allow  divorce  at  all,  nor,  indeed,  any  violation  of  the 
marriage  bond,  but  the  sacred  preservation  of  that  tie. 

9.  And  I  say  unto  you.  Mark  (10 :  10)  explains  that  "  in  the 
house  the  disciples  asked  him  again  of  this  matter."  So  far  Jesus 
had  not  sided  with  either  wing  of  the  Pharisees,  but  has  lifted  the 
whole  matter  to  the  high  and  holy  purpose  of  God.  But  to  the 
disciples  he  has  a  further  word  at  their  request.  Matthew  does 
not  mention  the  "  house."  Except  for  fornication.  Some  Mss. 
read  "  saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication."  Matthew  has  previ- 
ously (5:32)  recorded  this  exception  to  the  prohibition  against 
divorce.  The  absence  of  this  exception  in  Mark  has  led  some 
writers  to  think  that  the  addition  is  an  editorial  comment  under 
rabbinic  influence  and  that  it  does  not  represent  the  true  position 
of  Jesus.  By  this  exception  Jesus  practically  takes  the  position  of 
the  school  of  Shammai,  though  he  has  held  up  the  still  higher  origi- 
nal ideal.  But  this  concession  on  the  part  of  Jesus  seems  to  be 
due  to  the  dissolution  of  the  real  marriage  bond  that  has  already 
taken  place.  He  does  not  command  divorce  (nor  did  Moses). 
Indeed,  Jesus  is  decrying  divorce.  He  here  prohibits  remarriage 
to  one  who  divorces  his  wife  save  for  fornication.  Such  an  one 
himself  becomes  guilty  of  adultery  and  the  one  who  marries  his 
wife^  is  guilty  of  adultery.  This  practical  rule,  if  strictly 
carried  out,  would  greatly  purify  modern  life.  The  Jews  did  not 
usually  allow  divorce  to  the  wife  from  the  husband,  though  it  did 
sometimes  occur.  Salome  divorced  Costobarus  (Josephus,  Ant. 
XV.  259).  So  Herodias  divorced  Herod  Philip  to  marry  Herod 
Antipas.  Hence  the  remark  of  Jesus  about  a  woman  who  divorces 
her  husband  (Mk.  10:  12)  is  pertinent,  especially  if  he  had  in 
mind  the  lax  customs  of  Rome.  And  he  that  marrieth  her.  One 
who  is  divorced  is  not  to  remarry  unless  it  be  the  innocent  party 
and  the  divorce  be  obtained  on  the  ground  of  adultery.  "  Forni- 
cation "  is  here  probably  used  in  the  sense  of  adultery. 

10.  The  disciples  say.  Matthew  has  a  further  query  from  the 
disciples.  They  evidently  sympathized  with  the  loose  views  of 
the  school  of  Hillel.  They  do  not  like  to  look  upon  marriage  as  a 
permanent  bond. 

208 


MATTHEW 


All  men  cannot  receive  this  saying,  but  they  to  whom 

12.  it  is  given.  For  there  are  eunuchs,  which  were  so  born 
from  their  mother's  womb:  and  there  are  eunuchs, 
which  were  made  eunuchs  by  men:  and  there  are 
eimuchs,  which  made  themselves  eunuchs  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven's  sake.  He  that  is  able  to  receive 
it,  let  him  receive  it. 

3.  Jesus  and  Little  ChildreUj  19 :  13-15 

13.  Then  were  there  brought  imto  him  little  children,  M 
that  he  should  lay  his  hands  on  them,  and  pray :  and 

14.  the  disciples  rebuked  them.  But  Jesus  said,  Suffer 
the  little  children,  and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto 

15.  me:  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  And  he 
laid  his  hands  on  them,  and  departed  thence. 

12.  He  that  is  able  to  receive  it.  Jesus  may  have  reference  to 
the  case  of  John  the  Baptist  as  well  as  to  himself.  Marriage  is 
not  compulsory,  though  lofty  in  ideal  and  meant  to  be  indis- 
soluble. 

13.  Then.  Probably  interrupting  the  discussion  about  mar- 
riage. They  were  apparently  still  in  the  house.  We  do  not  know 
whose  children  they  were,  though  Luke  (18  :  15)  calls  them  "  their 
babes."  They  may  have  been  the  children  belonging  to  the  house. 
That  he  shotdd  lay  his  hands  on  them,  and  pray.  A  natural 
request  and  in  beautiful  spirit.  A  rabbi's  blessing  on  the  children 
was  appreciated.  It  was  probably  more  than  a  mere  "  good- 
night." The  disciples  rebuked  them.  Those  who  had  brought 
the  children.  The  children  were  considered  by  the  disciples  as 
interrupting  Jesus  in  his  work. 

14.  Suffer  the  little  children.  The  love  of  Jesus  for  children 
has  revolutionized  the  world  in  its  treatment  of  the  child.  He 
has  made  a  place  for  the  child.  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  He  means  that  believers  must  be  childlike.  In  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven  the  child  is  the  pattern  for  the  man.  Mark 
(10 :  14)  says  that  Jesus  "  was  moved  with  indignation  "  when  he 
saw  the  conduct  of  the  disciples  toward  children.  He  was  deeply 
stirred  to  see  how  grievously  they  had  misunderstood  his  spirit. 
Children  always  understand  Jesus. 

P  209 


MATTHEW 


4.  The  Rick  Young  Ruler  and  the  Peril  of  Riches, 
19 :  16-26 

M   16.       And  behold,  one  came  to  him  and  said,  Master, 
what  good  thing  shall  I  do,  that  I  may  have  eternal 

17.  life?  And  he  said  unto  him,  Why  askest  thou  me 
concerning  that  which  is  good  ?  One  there  is  who  is 
good:   but  if  thou  wouldest  enter  into  life,  keep  the 

18.  commandments.  He  saith  imto  him.  Which?  And 
Jesus  said.  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not  commit 
adultery.  Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou  shalt  not  bear 

19.  false  witness.  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother :  and, 

20.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  The  young 
man  saith  unto  him.  All  these  things  have  I  observed : 

16.  And  behold.  The  order  of  Matthew  and  Mark  here  may 
be  merely  topical^  (marriage,  children,  wealth),  but  there  is  no 
special  reason  for  its  not  being  chronological.  One  came.  Mat- 
thew (vs.  22)  adds  that  he  was  "  a  young  man  "  and  Luke  (18 :  18) 
calls  him  "  a  certain  ruler."  All  the  Synoptics  mention  his  great 
wealth.  Jesus  had  left  the  house  and  was  on  the  way  (Mk.  10 :  1 7). 
The  young  man  ran  towards  Jesus  {ibid.).  Master.  "  Good 
Master  "  in  Mark  and  Luke.  Eternal  life.  The  first  mention  of 
just  this  phrase  in  Matthew.  It  is  very  common  in  John's  Gospel. 
Its  meaning  is  "  the  life  of  the  age  to  come."  It  is  one  of  blessed- 
ness, begins  now,  and  is  without  end. 

17.  Why  askest  thou  me  concerning  that  which  is  good? 
Mark  (10:  18)  and  Luke  (18:  18)  both  have  "  Why  callest  thou 
me  good?  "  This  is  probably  the  original  form  of  the  question. 
One  there  is  who  is  good.  Mark  and  Luke  again  differ.  They 
put  it  negatively  :^  "  None  is  good,  save  one,  even  God,"  a  more 
striking  and  original  form.  Keep  the  commandments.  Jesus 
answers  him  according  to  his  question.  He  wanted  to  "  do  " 
something.  Indeed  if  he  had  really  kept  all  the  law  all  the  time, 
both  in  spirit  and  letter,  he  would  have  been  saved. 

18.  Which?  And  Jesus  said.  This  vivid  touch  is  peculiar  to 
Matthew.  Jesus  does  not  mention  all  the  commandments,  but 
the  chief  ones  relating  to  social  duties. 

19.  And,  Thou  shall  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  Not  in  Mark 
and  Luke,  but  from  Lev.  19 :  18. 

20.  What  lack  I  yet  ?     This  question  of  the  young  man  is  alone 

210 


MATTHEW 


21.  what  lack  I  yet  ?  Jesus  said  unto  him,  If  thou  would- 
est  be  perfect,  go,  sell  that  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the 
poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven :    and 

22.  come,  follow  me.  But  when  the  young  man  heard  the 
saying,  he  went  away  sorrowful :  for  he  was  one  that 
had  great  possessions. 

23.  And  Jesus  said  unto  his  disciples.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  It  is  hard  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  king- 

24.  dom  of  heaven.  And  again  I  say  imto  you,  It  is  easier 
for  a  camel  to  go  through  a  needle's  eye,  than  for  a 

25.  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  And 
when  the  disciples  heard  it,  they  were  astonished  ex- 

26.  ceedingly,  sa3dng,  Who  then  can  be  saved?  And 
Jesus  looking  upon  them  said  to  them.  With  men  this 
is  impossible ;  but  with  God  all  things  are  possible. 

in  Matthew,  and  may  precede  the  "  one  thing  thou  lackest  "  of 
Jesus  in  Mark  (and  Luke). 

21.  Sell  that  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor.  Jesus  does  not 
here  teach  that  every  man  should  dispose  of  all  his  property, 
though  every  believer  must  hold  his  property  at  the  service  of 
Christ.  This  young  man  really  loved  money  more  than  God  and 
had  broken  the  very  first  commandment  of  all.  Christ  wishes 
to  reveal  the  man's  heart  to  himself. 

22.  "Went  away  sorrowful.  When  the  test  was  made,  he  could 
not  accept  the  terms  of  Jesus  for  discipleship.  Mark  (10:  22) 
says  that  "  his  countenance  fell  at  the  saying."  He  tells  us  also 
that  Jesus  "  looking  on  him  loved  him."     And  yet  he  went  away. 

23.  It  is  hard  for  a  rich  man.  It  is  hard  for  any  man.  Hard 
for  a  poor  man,  hardest  for  a  rich  man. 

24.  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  a  needle's  eye. 
Jesus  meant  the  illustration  to  be  taken  literally.  Cf.  "  strain 
out  a  gnat  and  swallow  a  camel."  It  is  an  exaggeration,  but 
designedly  so.  There  was  at  that  time  no  door  in  Jaffa  gate 
called  "  needle's  eye." 

25.  Astonished  exceedingly.  The  disciples  shared  the  com- 
mon Jewish  feeling  that  wealth  was  a  mark  of  divine  favor  and  a 
proof  of  piety.  It  was  a  reversal  of  this  social  philosophy.  If 
the  rich  were  lost,  still  more  the  poor ! 

26.  With  men  this  is  impossible.     He  had  meant  to  state  an 


MATTHEW 


5.   The  Basis  of  Reward  in  Heaven ^  19 :  27-20 :  16 

M  27.  Then  answered  Peter  and  said  unto  him,  Lo,  we 
have  left  all,  and  followed  thee;   what  then  shall  we 

Q  28.  have  ?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  that  ye  which  have  followed  me,  in  the  regenera- 
tion when  the  Son  of  man  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of 
his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judg- 

M  29.  ing  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.    And  every  one  that 

hath  left  houses,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or 

mother,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake,  shall 

receive  a  hundredfold,  and  shall  inherit  eternal  life. 

30.   But  many  shall  be  last  that  are  first ;  and  first  that  are  last. 


impossibility.     God  can  do  the  impossible,  else  no  one  would  be 
saved,  rich  or  poor. 

27.  Then.  This  incident  grew  naturally  out  of  the  preceding. 
Answered  Peter.  The  usual  spokesman  in  Matthew.  A  decided 
rebound  in  spirit  from  the  despondent  view  expressed  about  the 
difl&culty  of  the  salvation  of  the  rich.  It  is  not  mere  self-com- 
placency in  Peter.  They  had  indeed  left  all  and  followed  Jesus, 
just  what  Christ  demanded  of  this  young  man.  Peter  wished  to 
push  on  the  new  point  of  view  and  see  what  was  the  outcome. 

28.  In  the  regeneration.  This  word  {palingenesis)  occurs  only 
one  other  time  in  the  N.  T.  (Tit.  3  :  5)  and  then  in  the  sense  of 
personal  regeneration.  But  here  it  is  the  new  birth  of  the  world 
order  to  follow  the  consummation  of  the  kingdom.  The  lan- 
guage that  follows  is  apocalyptic  in  form,  as  is  common  in  the 
discussion  of  eschatological  matters. 

29.  A  htmdredfold.  Luke  (17:30)  has  "manifold."  Mark 
(10:30)  adds  "now  in  this  time"  and  "with  persecutions." 
Inherit  eternal  life.  Mark  and  Luke  both  add  "  in  the  world  to 
come."  Sacrifice  for  Christ  has  its  reward  both  in  this  world  and 
the  next.  Jesus  does  not  mean,  of  course,  that  one  can  "  earn  " 
these  blessings  as  merit. 

30.  Many  shall  be  last  that  are  first.  An  aphorism  that  is 
often  exemplified.  The  Jews,  for  instance,  were  first  in  privilege 
in  the  kingdom,  but  are  now  last  in  ratio  to  the  Gentiles.  Cf. 
Mk.  10:  31. 


MATTHEW 


20.  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  man  that 
is  a  householder,  which  went  out  early  in  the  morning 

2.  to  hire  labourers  into  his  vineyard.  And  when  he  had 
agreed  with  the  labourers  for  a  penny  a  day,  he  sent 

3.  them  into  his  vineyard.  And  he  went  out  about  the 
third  hour,  and  saw  others  standing  in  the  marketplace 

4.  idle ;  and  to  them  he  said.  Go  ye  also  into  the  vine- 
yard, and  whatsoever  is  right  I  will  give  you.    And 

5.  they  went  their  way.    Again  he  went  out  about  the 

6.  sixth  and  the  ninth  hour,  and  did  Hkewise.  And  about 
the  eleventh  hour  he  went  out,  and  found  others  stand- 
ing ;   and  he  saith  unto  them,  Why  stand  ye  here  all 

7.  the  day  idle  ?  They  say  imto  him.  Because  no  man 
hath  hired  us.    He  saith  unto  them.  Go  ye  also  into 

8.  the  vineyard.  And  when  even  was  come,  the  lord  of 
the  vineyard  saith  imto  his  steward.  Call  the  labourers, 
and  pay  them  their  hire,  beginning  from  the  last  unto 

9.  the  first.  And  when  they  came  that  were  hired  about 
the  eleventh  hour,  they  received  every  man  a  penny. 

10.  And  when  the  first  came,  they  supposed  that  they 
would  receive  more ;  and  they  likewise  received  every 

11.  man  a  penny.    And  when  they  received  it,  they  mur- 

12.  mured  against  the  householder,  sajdng,  These  last  have 
spent  hut  one  hour,  and  thou  hast  made  them  equal 
unto  us,  which  have  borne  the  burden  of  the  day  and 

13.  the  scorching  heat.  But  he  answered  and  said  to  one 
of  them.  Friend,  I  do  thee  no  wrong:  didst  not  thou 

1.  For.  The  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard  comes  in 
as  an  illustration  of  the  aphorism.  If  this  arrangement  is  correct, 
the  chapter  division  is  very  unfortunate. 

2.  Penny  a  day.  Denarius,  about  seventeen  cents  (worth 
more  in  purchasing  power). 

13.  Friend,  I  do  thee  no  wrong.  The  householder  has  kept 
the  contract. 

213 


MATTHEW 


14.  agree  with  me  for  a  penny?  Take  up  that  which  is 
thine,  and  go  thy  way ;  it  is  my  will  to  give  unto  this 

15.  last,  even  as  unto  thee.  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do 
what  I  will  with  mine  own  ?   or  is  thine  eye  evil,  be- 

16.  cause  I  am  good  ?  So  the  last  shall  be  first,  and  the 
first  last. 

6.   Plain  Speech  about  the  Death  of  Jesus,  20: 17-19 

M   17.       And  as  Jesus  was  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  he  took 
the  twelve  disciples  apart,  and  in  the  way  he  said  unto 

18.  them,  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem;  and  the  Son 
of  man  shall  be  delivered  unto  the  chief  priests  and 

19.  scribes;  and  they  shall  condemn  him  to  death,  and 
shall  deliver  him  unto  the  Gentiles  to  mock,  and  to 
scourge,  and  to  crucify:  and  the  third  day  he  shall 
be  raised  up. 


15.  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own? 

This  is  the  point  of  the  parable,  the  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  re- 
wards bestowed  by  him.  A  necessary  corollary  of  this  truth  is 
God's  dislike  of  the  merely  legal  view  of  service.  The  mere  time 
element  of  itself  cuts  little  figure  from  God's  point  of  view.  The 
spirit  and  zeal  shown  are  of  much  more  value.  The  best  service 
is,  of  course,  that  with  full  time  and  the  right  spirit. 

16.  The  last  shall  be  first.  The  aphorism  is  repeated  in  in- 
verse order. 

17.  Was  going  up  to  Jerusalem.  It  is  probably  only  a  few 
days  before  the  Triumphal  Entry.  Took  the  twelve  disciples 
apart.  He  made  a  point  of  telling  them  now  the  fourth  time 
plainly  about  his  death  (Matt.  16  :  21 ;  17  :  9-12,  22).  His  looks 
must  have  betrayed  his  deep  concern.     "  And  Jesus  was  going 

.before  them  and  they  were  amazed;  and  they  that  followed  were 
afraid  "  (Mk.  10 :  32).  In  the  way.  Probably  in  Perea,  just  be- 
fore reaching  Jericho. 

19.  To  mock,  and  to  scourge,  and  to  crucify.  These  details 
are  all  new.  As  the  cross  comes  nearer  Jesus  becomes  more 
specific  in  his  predictions.  The  third  day.  So  Luke  (18:33) 
also  in  explanation  of  Mark's  "  after  three  days  "  (Mk.  10:  34). 

214 


MATTHEW 


7.  Jealous  Ambition  of  James  and  John  and  their  Mother, 
20:  20-28 

20.  Then  came  to  him  the  mother  of  the  sons  of  Zebe- 
dee  with  her  sons,  worshipping  him,  and  asking  a  cer- 

21.  tain  thing  of  him.  _And  he  said  unto  her,  What 
wouldest  thou  ?  She  saith  unto  him,  Command  that 
these  my  two  sons  may  sit,  one  on  thy  right  hand,  and 

22.  one  on  thy  left  hand,  in  thy  kingdom.  But  Jesus  an- 
swered and  said,  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask.  Are  ye 
able  to  drink  the  cup  that  I  am  about  to  drink  ?    They 

23.  say  unto  him,  We  are  able.  He  saith  imto  them.  My 
cup  indeed  ye  shall  drink :  but  to  sit  on  my  right  hand, 
and  on  my  left  hand,  is  not  mine  to  give,  but  it  is  for 
them  for  whom  it  hath  been  prepared  of  my  Father. 

24.  And  when  the  ten  heard  it,  they  were  moved  with 


20.  Then.  Probably  not  long  after  the  recent  discussion  of 
the  death  of  Jesus.  It  was  hard  for  the  disciples  to  take  seriously 
the  words  of  Jesus  on  that  subject.  They  had  probably  misunder- 
stood also  his  recent  words  about  the  kingdom  (Matt.  19 :  28). 
The  mother.  Mark  (10 :  34)  mentions  only  James  and  John. 
Most  probably  the  mother  was  the  prime  mover  in  the  sugges- 
tion, though  all  three  were  involved.  James  and  John  belonged 
to  the  inner  circle  of  the  disciples.  Their  mother  Salome  may 
have  been  the  sister  of  the  mother  of  Jesus  (Matt.  27  :  56;  Mark 
15:  40;  Jn.  19:  25).  A  specious  plea  for  favor  could  be  made 
out. 

21.  May  sit.  The  two  best  places  are  asked  for  in  accord  with 
the  promise  of  Jesus  about  the  twelve  sitting  on  thrones  (Matt. 
19  :  28).     The  ten  may  have  all  the  other  positions  ! 

22.  We  are  able.  How  little  they  comprehended  the  words  of 
Jesus. 

23.  My  cup  indeed  ye  shall  drink.  James  was  the  first  martyr 
of  the  twelve  in  a.d.  44  by  Agrippa  I  (Acts  12:  2).  The  story 
of  John's  death  is  not  known.  He  was  the  last  to  die,  but  he 
suffered  much  (Acts  4:3;   5:18;   Rev.  1:9). 

24.  When  the  ten  heard  it.  They  may  have  been  to  one  side 
when  the  request  was  made,  but  they  were  sure  to  learn  of  it,  may 

21S 


MATTHEW 


25.  indignation  concerning  the  two  brethren.  But  Jesus 
called  them  unto  him,  and  said,  Ye  know  that  the 
rulers  of  the  Gentiles  lord  it  over  them,  and  their  great 

26.  ones  exercise  authority  over  them.  Not  so  shall  it  be 
among  you :  but  whosoever  would  become  great  among 

27.  you  shall  be  your  minister ;  and  whosoever  would  be 

28.  first  among  you  shall  be  your  servant:  even  as  the 
Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many. 

Jesus  at  Jericho  J  20 :  29-34 

M   29.   And  as  they  went  out  from  Jericho,  a  great  multitude 

30.   followed  him.    And  behold,  two  blind  men  sitting  by 

the  way  side,  when  they  heard  that  Jesus  was  passing 

indeed  have  come  up  while  the  matter  was  under  discussion. 
Their  indignation  was  natural. 

25.  Called  them.  They  were  all  in  sore  need  of  more  instruc- 
tion about  humility  and  service. 

26.  Minister.  The  greatness  of  service  is  one  of  the  chief  con- 
tributions of  Jesus  to  men. 

28.  To  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many.  The  first  time  that 
Jesus  has  explained  the  purpose  o  his  death.  The  disciples  had 
not  been  able  to  grasp  the  fact,  let  alone  the  purpose.  The  word 
"  ransom  "  is  not  to  be  pressed  too  far.  Cf.  i  Tim.  2:6;  i  Jn. 
2  :  2.  Jesus  gave  his  spirit  up  to  God  (Lk.  23  :  46).  His  death  is 
literally  "  for  many  "  so  that  the  many  may  not  have  to  suffer  eter- 
nal death.  Cf.  Jn.  3  :  16 ;  Matt.  26  :  28.  No  theory  of  the  atone- 
ment can  express  the  fulness  of  the  meaning  in  the  death  of  Christ 
for  sinners.  But  Jesus  clearly  saw  that  he  was  to  be  offered  as  a 
sacrifice  for  the  sin  of  men.  The  cross  with  him  was  central,  not 
a  side  issue  nor  an  accident. 

29.  Went  out  from  Jericho.  Both  Mark  (10:  46)  and  Luke 
(18 :  35)  have  "  to  Jericho."  It  is  impossible  to  tell  what  the  true 
solution  is.  Which  is  right?  It  is  probable,  indeed,  that  the  old 
Jericho,  the  ruins  of  which  have  been  recently  unearthed,  was 
still  standing,  as  well  as  the  new  or  Roman  Jericho.  If  so,  Mat- 
thew possibly  mentions  the  Jewish,  Mark  and  Luke  the  Roman 
town.     The  variation  may  also  be  transcriptional. 

30.  Two  blind  men.     Here  again  the  authorities  vary.     Mark  . 

216 


MATTHEW 


by,  cried  out,  saying.  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us,  thou 

31.  son  of  David.  And  the  multitude  rebuked  them,  that 
they  should  hold  their  peace :  but  they  cried  out  the 
more,  saying.  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us,  thou  son  of 

32.  David.    And  Jesus  stood  still,  and  called  them,  and 

33.  said,  What  will  ye  that  I  should  do  unto  you  ?  They 
say  unto  him.  Lord,  that  our  eyes  may  be  opened. 

34.  And  Jesus,  being  moved  with  compassion,  touched 
their  eyes :  and  straightway  they  received  their  sight, 
and  followed  him. 


and  Luke  mention  only  one  and  Mark  gives  his  name,  Bartimaeus. 
He  may  have  been  the  more  prominent  of  the  two.  Cf.  the  two 
demoniacs  in  Matthew  (8:  28).  Thou  son  of  David.  A  Mes- 
sianic title.  It  is  near  the  time  of  the  Triumphal  Entry  and  the 
people  are  expectant  (Lk.  19:  11). 

34.  Touched  their  eyes.    Mentioned  only  by  Matthew. 


217 


VII.  The  Messianic  Demonstration,  21 : 1-22 

I.   The  Triumphal  Entry  into  the  City,  21:  i-ii 

[   M  21.       And  when  they  drew  nigh  unto  Jerusalem,  and  came 
unto  Bethphage,  unto  the  mount  of  Olives,  then  Jesus 

I.  When  they  drew  nigh  unto  Jerusalem.  Matthew  does  not 
describe  the  seventeen-mile  journey  from  Jericho  up  to  Jerusalem. 
The  elevation  is  some  three  thousand  feet.  None  of  the  Gospels 
give  details  here.  The  other  Gospels  mention  Bethany  (Mk. 
11:  i;  Lk.  19:  29;  Jn.  12:  i),  which  Matthew  here  passes  by. 
John  (12  :  i)  explains  that  it  is  six  days  before  the  passover  when 
Jesus  comes  to  Bethany.  According  to  this  note  of  time  it  is  on 
Friday  afternoon  that  Jesus  arrives  at  Bethany,  about  two  miles 
east  of  Jerusalem.  Here  lived  Martha,  Mary,  and  Lazarus. 
Jesus  now  makes  his  home  in  this  household  till  the  end  comes. 
He  had  been  a  frequent  guest  in  this  home  and.  was  doubly  dear 
to  its  inmates  now  that  Lazarus  had  been  raised  from  the  dead. 
The  raising  of  Lazarus  (Jn.  11)  had  taken  place  some  weeks  before 
and  had  greatly  angered  the  Sanhedrin  (the  Sadducees  in  particu- 
lar). Because  of  the  intensity  of  their  hatred  Jesus  had  retired 
to  Ephraim.  Here  at  Bethany  during  the  Sabbath  (our  Satur- 
day) crowds  came  to  see  Jesus  and  Lazarus  (Jn.  12:  9-11),  but 
the  chief  priests  (Sadducees)  and  Pharisees  in  Jerusalem  have 
made  public  proclamation  of  their  purpose  to  kill  Jesus  and  Laza- 
rus also  (Jn.  11:55-57;  12:  10  f.).  During  the  Passion  Week 
all  of  the  Gospels  converge  for  the  first  time  since  the  close  of  the 
Galilean  Ministry  (Feeding  of  the  Five  Thousand).  Each  gives 
various  details  here  and  there  not  in  the  others,  though  agreeing 
in  the  main  dcift  of  the  narrative.  The  year  of  the  death  of  Jesus 
is  not  made  clear.  It  was  at  the  passover  of  a.d.  29  or  30.  Unto 
Bethphage.  "  The  house  of  unripe  figs  "  the  word  means.  It  is 
not  mentioned  in  the  O.  T.,  Apocrypha,  or  Josephus,  but  is  com- 
mon in  the  Talmud,  where  it  appears  to  be  more  important  than 
Bethany.  The  ruins  of  the  village  are  not  now  known,  but  the 
location  was  between  Bethany  and  Jerusalem.  Unto  the  mount 
of  Olives.  The  village  of  Bethphage  was  thus  on  the  eastern  slope 
of  the  Mount  of  Olives.  The  highest  part  of  this  mountain  is 
about  three  hundred  feet  above  the  temple  hill.     There  are  three 

2iS 


MATTHEW 


2.  sent  two  disciples,  saying  unto  them,  Go  into  the  vil- 
lage that  is  over  against  you,  and  straightway  ye  shall 
find  an  ass  tied,  and  a  colt  with  her :  loose  them,  and 

3.  bring  them  unto  me.  And  if  any  one  say  aught  unto 
you,  ye  shall  say.  The  Lord  hath  need  of  them ;   and 

4.  straightway  he  will  send  them.  Now  this  is  come  to 
pass,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by 
the  prophet,  saying, 

5.  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Zion, 
Behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee, 
Meek,  and  riding  upon  an  ass. 
And  upon  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass. 

depressions  in  it,  one  to  the  north,  one  in  the  centre  (the  usual 
footpath  to  the  city  (Matt.  21  :  18),  one  to  the  south  (the  rid- 
ing road  with  a  more  gradual  slant,  the  one  used  on  the  Triumphal 
Entry),  From  the  summit  of  this  mountain  Jerusalem  seemed 
in  a  valley,  though  situated  on  lower  hills  in  the  valley.  From 
the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat  (east)  and  the  Tyropcean  Valley  and 
Valley  of  Hinnom  (south)  the  city  was  on  high  hills.  The  Mount 
of  Olives  has  tender  associations  for  Christians  because  of  the  as- 
cension of  Jesus  from  its  summit. 

2.  Sent  two  disciples.  Possibly  Peter  and  John  (cf.  Lk.  22:8). 
Over  against  you.  That  is  Bethphage,  which  was  in  front  of  them 
as  they  looked  west  from  Bethany.  An  ass  tied,  and  a  colt  with 
her.  Only  the  colt  is  mentioned  in  Mark  (11:2)  and  Luke 
(19 :  30)  "  whereupon  no  man  ever  yet  sat."  Cf.  the  tomb  of 
Joseph  (Lk.  23  :  53  ;  Jn.  19  :  41).  Jesus  was  to  ride  only  the  colt, 
but  Matthew  mentions  the  mother  also,  probably  because  of  the 
quotation  from  Zech.  9  :  9. 

3.  The  Lord  hath  need  of  them.  If  the  owners  (Lk.  19:  33) 
knew  and  loved  Jesus,  they  would  readily  agree.  It  is  not  clear 
what  the  owners  would  understand  by  "  the  Lord." 

4.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled.  John  (12:14  f.)  quotes  the 
passage  from  Zechariah  in  connection  with  the  Triumphal  Entry 
instead  of  at  this  point.  It  is  not  certain  whether  Matthew  means 
to  put  the  quotation  into  the  mouth  of  Jesus  or  whether  it  is  his 
own  comment.  The  coincidence  would  be  more  striking  if  Jesus 
were  not  himself  consciously  fulfilling  the  prophecy.  But  that  is 
not  essential. 

5.  Riding  upon  an  ass.      A  peaceful  King,  and  so  not  upon  a 

219 


MATTHEW 


6.  And  the  disciples  went,  and  did  even  as  Jesus  ap- 

7.  pointed  them,  and  brought  the  ass,  and  the  colt,  and 

8.  put  on  them  their  garments ;  and  he  sat  thereon.  And 
the  most  part  of  the  multitude  spread  their  garments 
in  the  way;   and  others  cut  branches  from  the  trees, 

9.  and  spread  them  in  the  way.  And  the  multitudes 
that  went  before  him,  and  that  followed,  cried,  saying, 
Hosanna  to  the  son  of  David:  Blessed  is  he  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord;    Hosanna  in  the 

10.  highest.    And  when  he  was  come  into  Jerusalem,  all 

warhorse.  The  ass  was  highly  esteemed  and  is  so  now  in  the  East. 
This  passage  was  generally  considered  Messianic.  And  upon  a 
colt.  In  the  RV  of  Zech.  the  translation  is  "  upon  an  ass,  even 
upon  a  colt."  The  Greek  will  admit  the  same  translation  here, 
but  see  vs.  7. 

7.  On  them.  The  ass  and  the  colt.  The  disciples  apparently 
did  not  know  which  Jesus  would  ride.  Thereon.  The  garments, 
of  course.  The  words  in  the  Gk.  might  refer  to  the  two  animals, 
but  such  reference  is  by  no  means  necessary.  Matthew  is  not 
careful  to  distinguish,  but  common  sense  can  do  it. 

8.  And  the  most  part  of  the  multitude.  Influenced  probably 
by  the  example  of  the  disciples  in  putting  their  garments  on  the 
animals.  The  people  are  treating  Jesus  like  a  king.  And  others 
cut  branches.     In  their  enthusiasm. 

9.  And  the  multitudes  that  went  before.  There  was  a  crowd 
in  front  and  one  behind  (Mk.  11:9).  They  were  met  by  a 
multitude  from  the  city  (Jn.  12  :  18)  which  joined  the  crowd  from 
Bethany.  Hosanna  to  the  son  of  David.  Cf.  Ps.  118:25  f. 
This  Psalm  belonged  to  the  "  Hallel  "  sung  at  the  Passover 
(Psalms  1 1 3-1 18).  The  multitude  in  Galilee  had  once  wished  to 
take  Jesus  to  Jerusalem  and  proclaim  him  as  the  King  Messiah. 
They  feel  that  now  at  last  their  hopes  are  fulfilled.  It  is  a  political 
Messiah  that  they  have  in  mind,  but  none  the  less  Jesus  is  willing 
for  their  shouts  to  echo  over  the  mountain  in  the  ears  of  the  Phari- 
sees (Jn.  12  :  19;  Lk.  19:  39  f.).  The  crisis  has  come  and  Jesus 
will  no  longer  conceal  his  purpose.  He  means  the  Triumphal 
Entry  to  be  a  proclamation  to  the  Jerusalem  authorities  that  he  is 
the  Messiah.  They  will  not  understand  properly  what  his  real 
meaning  of  that  word  is.  But  the  people  acclaim  him  "  the  Son  of 
David,"  meaning  the  Messiah. 

10.  All  the  city  was  stirred.     The  crowd  was  great,  the  pro- 

220 


MATTHEW 


11.  the  city  was  stirred,  saying,  Who  is  this?  And  the 
multitudes  said,  This  is  the  prophet,  Jesus,  from 
Nazareth  of  Galilee. 

2.   The  Cleansing  of  the  Temple j  21 :  12-17 

12.  And  Jesus  entered  into  the  temple  of  God,  and  cast  y\ 
out  all  them  that  sold  and  bought  in  the  temple,  and 
overthrew  the  tables  of  the  money-changers,  and  the 

13.  seats  of  them  that  sold  the  doves ;  and  he  saith  unto  is 

cession  spectacular,  the  enthusiasm  boundless.  Jesus  had  done 
most  of  his  work  outside  of  Jerusalem.  There  were  many  in  the 
city  not  familiar  with  his  teaching  and  deeds  and  not  prepared 
for  this  demonstration. 

11.  And  the  multitudes  said.  Chiefly  the  Galilean  and  Pe- 
rean  crowds,  who  are  for  the  moment  wild  with  enthusiasm.  Will 
some  of  them  soon  shout  "  Crucify  him  "? 

12.  Entered  into  the  temple.  Matthew  (apparently  also  Luke 
19:  45)  puts  the  cleansing  of  the  temple  on  the  same  day  as  the 
Triumphal  Entry.  Mark  (11:  12)  distinctly  places  it  "on  the 
morrow."  Probably  Matthew  has  here  failed,  as  often,  to  keep 
the  notes  of  time  distinct.  Of  God.  These  words  are  wanting 
in  someMss.  Cast  out.  The  Synoptics  all  give  this  cleansing  of 
the  temple  at  the  close  of  the  public  work  of  Jesus.  John 
(2  :  13-22)  has  one  at  the  first  appearance  of  Jesus  in  Jerusalem 
two  and  possibly  three  years  before  this  time.  It  is  possible,  of 
course,  that  there  was  only  one  cleansing.  But  if  so,  the  Fourth 
Gospel  has  pointedly  corrected  the  Synoptics  in  the  matter.  It  is 
entirely  conceivable  that  there  were  two  cleansings.  The  first 
one  was  not  mentioned  by  the  Synoptics  because  they  give  noth- 
ing of  the  early  Jerusalem  ministry.  There  is,  indeed,  a  certain 
fitness  in  a  protest  made  by  Jesus  at  this  desecration  of  the  temple 
when  he  first  appeared  there.  Now  in  the  full  favor  of  the  people 
after  the  Triumphal  Entry  he  makes  a  last  protest.  It  is  a  cona- 
mon  experience  with  reformers  that  they  have  to  repeat  their 
work.  What  Jesus  does  is  in  reality  a  Messianic  act  in  the  asser- 
tion of  authority  over  the  temple.  But  it  was  also  the  natural 
indignation  of  a  noble  spirit  against  these  outrages.  It  was  con- 
venient that  the  change  for  the  temple  tax  could  be  had  in  the 
court  of  the  Gentiles  when  people  came  from  all  lands  with  many 
kinds  of  coins  But  this  part  of  the  temple  had  become  a  regular 
market,  "  a  den  of  robbers." 

221 


MATTHEW 


them,  It  is  written,  My  house  shall  be  called  a  house 

14.  of  prayer :  but  ye  make  it  a  den  of  robbers.  And  the 
blind  and  the  lame  came  to  him  in  the  temple :   and 

15.  he  healed  them.  But  when  the  chief  priests  and  the 
scribes  saw  the  wonderful  things  that  he  did,  and  the 
children  that  were  crying  in  the  temple  and  saying, 
Hosanna  to  the  son  of  David ;  they  were  moved  with 

16.  indignation,  and  said  unto  him,  Hearest  thou  what 
these  are  saying  ?  And  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  Yea : 
did  ye  never  read,  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and 

17.  sucklings  thou  hast  perfected  praise?  And  he  left 
them,  and  went  forth  out  of  the  city  to  Bethany,  and 
lodged  there. 

3.   The  Curse  upon  the  Fig  Tree,  21 :  18-22 

18.  Now  in  the  morning  as  he  returned  to  the  city,  he 

19.  hungered.    And  seeing  a  fig  tree  by  the  way  side,  he 

13.  It  is  written.  From  Isa.  56:  7  (LXX).  It  is  a  fierce  in- 
dictment that  went  home.  In  Mark  (11 :  18)  and  Luke  (19  :  47  f.) 
the  resentment  of  the  chief  priests  (Sadducees)  and  of  the  scribes 
(Pharisees)  is  noted.  "  They  feared  him  "  and  were  helpless  in 
their  rage,  "  for  the  people  all  hung  upon  him,  listening." 

14.  Came  to  him  in  the  temple.  It  is  possible  that  this  inci- 
dent took  place  on  the  day  of  the  Triumphal  Entry.  After  the 
procession  into  the  city  Jesus  may  have  gone  on  into  the  temple. 

15.  The  children.  The  boys  literally.  They  had  caught  up 
the  cry  of  the  multitude  as  they  marched  through  the  streets. 
Moved  with  indignation.  At  the  wonderful  cures  wrought  right  in 
the  temple  courts  and  at  the  shouts  of  the  boys  in  praise  of  Jesus 
in  the  temple  also,  a  double  desecration  in  their  opinion. 

16.  Yea.  There  was  mild  irony  in  the  reply  of  Jesus.  He 
quoted  Ps.  8 :  2  f . 

17.  He  left  them.  Mark  (11 :  11)  adds  that  Jesus  gave  a  look 
round  about  before  he  left.  To  Bethany.  Cf.  Lk.  21:37.  His 
home  is  with  the  Bethany  family  and  he  comes  into  Jerusalem  in 
the  morning  of  each  day.  The  word  Bethany  may  mean  "  house 
of  dates."  What  a  day  this  had  been  and  what  thoughts  are  in 
the  hearts  of  the  twelve  as  they  go  back  to  Bethany !     At  last 

222 


MATTHEW 


came  to  it,  and  found  nothing  thereon,  but  leaves 
only ;  and  he  aaith  unto  it,  Let  there  be  no  fruit  from 
thee  henceforward  for  ever.    And  immediately  the 

20.  fig  tree  withered  away.  And  when  the  disciples  saw 
it,  they  marvelled,  saying.  How  did  the  fig  tree  imme- 

21.  diately  wither  away?  And  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  them.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  If  ye  have  faith,  and 
doubt  not,  ye  shall  not  only  do  what  is  done  to  the  fig 
tree,  but  even  if  ye  shall  say  unto  this  mountain.  Be 
thou  taken  up  and  cast  into  the  sea,  it  shall  be  done. 

22.  And  all  things,  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  be- 
lieving, ye  shall  receive. 

Jesus  has  by  public  act  proclaimed  himself  the  Messiah.  The 
kingdom  will  now  be  set  up  !  They  have  doubtless  been  carried 
on  by  the  shouts  of  the  crowd  in  the  line  of  their  own  hopes, 

1 8.  Now  in  the  morning.  The  morning  after  the  Triumphal 
Entry  (Monday).  They  apparently  went  by  the  usual  walking 
way,  the  central  depression  in  the  Mount  of  Olives. 

19.  A  fig  tree  by  the  way.  Mark  (n  :  13)  adds  that  it  was  "afar 
off."  Some  varieties  of  figs  bore  fruit  before  the  leaves  came  out; 
therefore,  since  leaves  had  come,  there  ought  to  have  been  fruit.  It 
was  not  yet  fig  season  (summer)  in  Jerusalem  (Mk.  11 :  13).  In 
Galilee  by  the  hot  shores  of  the  lake  figs  matured  early  (Josephus, 
War,  iii.  108).  Let  there  be  no  fruit.  The  curse  was  certainly  not 
petulance  nor  impatience.  Jesus  made  an  opportunity  to  teach 
the  disciples  a  lesson.  He  probably  has  in  mind  the  fate  of  Jeru- 
salem, the  city  that  had  made  a  show  of  favor  (leaves)  in  the  Tri- 
umphal Entry.  Cf.  the  parable  of  the  fig  tree  (Lk.  13:6-9). 
And  immediately.  Mark  does  not  mention  this  item,  though  he 
notes  that  the  disciples  heard  the  curse  on  the  tree. 

20.  And  when  the  disciples  saw  it.  Mark  (11:20)  ex- 
plains that  it  was  on  the  next  morning  that  they  noticed  this  fact. 
Matthew  again  fails  to  distinguish  sharply  the  notes  of  time. 
They  had  probably  gone  back  to  Bethany  Monday  evening  by  the 
more  gradual  ascent  of  the  southern  depression  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  and  so  did  not  see  the  fig  tree  until  their  return  Tuesday 
morning,  over  the  central  path.  Unto  this  mountain.  The 
Mount  of  Olives. 

22.  Believing.  Cf.  "doubt  not"  above,  and  Mk.  11:24. 
The  mountain  is  a  parable  like  the  fig  tree. 

223 


VIII.  The  Great  Conflict  in  the    Temple,  21 ;  23- 
23:39 

I.   The  Challenge  from  the  Riders  and  the  Reply  of  Jesus, 
21 :  23-22  :  14 

23.  And  when  he  was  come  into  the  temple,  the  chief 
priests  and  the  elders  of  the  people  came  unto  him  as 
he  was  teaching,  and  said.  By  what  authority  doest 
thou  these  things  ?  and  who  gave  thee  this  authority  ? 

24.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  I  also  will 
ask  you  one  question,  which  if  ye  tell  me,  I  likewise 

25.  will  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things.  The 
baptism  of  John,  whence  was  it  ?  from  heaven  or  from 
men?    And  they  reasoned  with  themselves,  saying, 


(i)    The  Question  of  Christ's  Authority,  21:  23-27 

23.  When  he  was  come  into  the  temple.  On  this  Tuesday 
morning.  The  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  people.  Mark 
(11 :  27)  adds  "  the  scribes,"  the  three  classes  composing  the  San- 
hedrin.  It  is  an  official  challenge.  By  what  authority.  He  had 
proclaimed  himself  Messiah  by  the  Triumphal  Entry.  Her  had 
cleansed  the  temple  as  if  it  belonged  to  him.  He  had  refused  to 
recognize  their  request  to  make  the  boys  keep  quiet  in  the  temple. 
He  had  wrought  cures  in  the  temple.  But  the  rulers  are  particu- 
larly indignant  at  the  favor  of  the  people  which  Jesus  enjoys. 
They  wish  to  break  his  power  with  them.  They  had  challenged 
his  authority  when  he  first  came.     Cf.  Jn.  2:18. 

24.  I  also  will  ask  you  one  question.  It  was  not  a  dodge. 
The  simplest  way  to  get  at  the  authority  of  Jesus  from  the  human 
side  was  the  work  of  John  the  Baptist.  He  had  foretold  the  com- 
ing of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  had  baptized  him,  had  identified  him. 

25.  The  baptism  of  John.  Not  the  baptism  simply,  but  the 
whole  mission  of  John  is  raised  by  this  question.  Jesus  gives  the 
rulers  a  dilemma.  The  answer  to  this  dilemma  would  make  easy 
the  reply  of  Jesus  to  their  challenge.  They  reasoned  with  them- 
selves.    They  probably  stepped  aside  to  confer.     They  saw  at, 

224 


MATTHEW 


If  we  shall  say,  From  heaven;   he  will  say  unto  us, 

26.  Why  then  did  ye  not  believe  him?  But  if  we  shall 
say.  From  men ;  we  fear  the  multitude ;  for  all  hold 

27.  John  as  a  prophet.  And  they  answered  Jesus,  and 
said.  We  know  not.    He  also  said  unto  them.  Neither 

28.  tell  I  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things.  But 
what  think  ye  ?  A  man  had  two  sons ;  and  he  came 
to  the  first,  and  said.  Son,  go  work  to-day  in  the  vine- 

29.  yard.    And  he  answered  and  said,  I  will  not:    but 

30.  afterward  he  repented  himself,  and  went.  And  he 
came  to  the  second,  and  said  likewise.    And  he  an- 

31.  swered  and  said,  I  go,  sir:  and  went  not.  Whether 
of  the  twain  did  the  will  of  his  father?  They  say, 
The  first.  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  that  the  pubhcans  and  the  harlots  go  into  the 

32.  kingdom  of  God  before  you.     For  John  came  unto 

once  the  two  horns  of  the  dilemma.  If  they  admitted  the  heav- 
enly origin  of  John's  baptism,  the  retort  was  too  patent.  If  they 
denied  it,  they  would  not  injure  Jesus  with  the  people,  but  only 
hurt  themselves.     They  are  in  a  logical  cul-de-sac. 

27.  Neither  tell  I  you.  It  was  vain,  for  one  thing.  Their 
mouths  were  stopped  and  so  it  was  needless,  for  another  thing. 

(2)    The  Parable  of  the  Two  Sons,  21 :  28-32 

28.  But  what  think  ye?  An  appeal  for  attention.  Jesus 
scores  the  point  of  vantage  by  these  telling  stories.  Son.  Child 
literally. 

29.  I  will  not.  The  Mss.  vary  greatly  in  the  order  of  the  two 
sons. 

30.  I  go,  sir.     Glibly  because  of  the  refusal  of  the  other. 

31.  They  say.  The  rulers.  Jesus  makes  them  explain  his 
parable.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Then  he  applies  it.  The  rulers 
professed  to  obey  God  and  did  not.  The  publicans  and  harlots  dis- 
obeyed and  now  many  of  them  had  repented.  This  is  a  stinging 
rebuke. 

32.  For  John.  Jesus  returns  to  his  question  about  John.  He 
affirms  his  upright  character.  That  makes  their  refusal  to  follow 
him  all  the  worse. 

Q  22s 


MATTHEW 


you  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  and  ye  believed  him 
not :  but  the  pubUcans  and  the  harlots  beheved  him : 
and  ye,  when  ye  saw  it,  did  not  even  repent  yourselves 
afterward,  that  ye  might  believe  him. 
^^.  Hear  another  parable:  There  was  a  man  that  was 
a  householder,  which  planted  a  vineyard,  and  set  a 
hedge  about  it,  and  digged  a  winepress  in  it,  and  built 
a  tower,  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and  went  into 

34.  another  country.  And  when  the  season  of  the  fruits 
drew  near,  he  sent  his  servants  to  the  husbandmen, 

35.  to  receive  his  fruits.  And  the  husbandmen  took  his 
servants,  and  beat  one,  and  killed  another,  and  stoned 

36.  another.  Again,  he  sent  other  servants  more  than 
the  first:    and  they  did  unto  them  in  like  manner. 

37.  But  afterward  he  sent  unto  them  his  son,  saying,  They 

38.  will  reverence  my  son.  But  the  husbandmen,  when 
they  saw  the  son,  said  among  themselves.  This  is  the 
heir ;   come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  take  his  inheritance. 

39.  And  they  took  him,  and  cast  him  forth  out  of  the  vine- 

40.  yard,  and  killed  him.  When  therefore  the  lord  of  the 
vineyard  shall  come,  what  will  he  do  unto  those  hus- 

(3)    The  Parable  of  the  Wicked   Husbandmen,  21:33-46 

33.  Hear  another  parable.  This  parable,  like  that  of  the 
Sower  and  the  Mustard  Seed,  occurs  in  all  the  Synoptic  Gospels. 
The  Parable  of  the  Two  Sons  has  exposed  the  hypocrisy  of  the 
rulers.  This  parable  shows  how  in  challenging  the  authority  of 
Jesus  the  rulers  are  really  challenging  the  authority  of  God.  It  is 
a  real,  if  indirect,  answer  to  their  first  question.  The  language  of 
the  parable  would  be  easily  understood  by  Jews  because  of  the 
theocratic  terms  in  the  O.  T.  Israel  as  God's  kingdom  is  called 
a  vineyard  (Isa.  5:1-7;  Ezek.  15 :  1-6,  etc.).  The  parable  is  a 
picture  of  the  rulers  in  their  conspiracy  to  kill  Jesus.  It  is  a  bold 
exposure  and  serves  notice  on  them  that  Jesus  understands  their 
purposes. 

40.  What  will  he  do  unto  those  husbandmen?  As  before, 
Jesus  appeals  to  his  hearers  for  the  point  of  the  parable. 

226 


MATTHEW 


41.  bandmen?  They  say  unto  him,  He  will  miserably 
destroy  those  miserable  men,  and  will  let  out  the  vine- 
yard unto  other  husbandmen,  which  shall  render  him 

42.  the  fruits  in  their  seasons.  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
Did  ye  never  read  in  the  scriptures. 

The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected. 
The  same  was  made  the  head  of  the  comer : 
This  was  from  the  Lord, 
And  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes  ? 

43.  Therefore  say  I  unto  you.  The  kingdom  of  God  shall 
be  taken  away  from  you,  and  shall  be  given  to  a  nation 

44.  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof.  And  he  that  falleth 
on  this  stone  shall  be  broken  to  pieces :  but  on  whom- 

45.  soever  it  shall  fall,  it  will  scatter  him  as  dust.  And 
when  the  chief  priests  and  the  Pharisees  heard  his 

46.  parables,  they  perceived  that  he  spake  of  them.  And 
when  they  sought  to  lay  hold  on  him,  they  feared  the 
multitudes,  because  they  took  him  for  a  prophet. 


41.  They  say  unto  him.  They  rightly  comprehend  the  result, 
but  may  not  have  seen  fully  as  yet  the  application  to  themselves. 

42.  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  He  will  make  the  personal  appli- 
cation so  that  they  will  see  it.  He  quotes  from  Ps.  118:  22  f. 
The  figure  is  changed  from  husbandmen  to  builders,  but  the  point  is 
the  same.  He  means  the  stone  to  represent  himself.  In  the  Psalm 
the  historical  reference  seems  to  be  to  Israel  during  the  captivity. 

43.  Therefore  I  say  imto  you.  The  language  is  no  longer 
parabolic.  Jesus  in  plain  terms  predicts  that  the  kingdom  of 
God  will  be  taken  away  from  these  rulers  (and  so  from  the  nation) 
who  were  now  trying  to  destroy  him.  Caiaphas  had  once  feared 
that,  if  they  let  Jesus  alone,  the  Romans  would  come  and  take 
away  their  place  and  nation  (Jn.  11 :  48).  They  will  indeed  lose 
both,  but  because  they  crucify  Jesus.  In  another  sense  also  the 
kingdom  will  go  unto  the  Gentiles  even  before  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  (Rom.  9-1 1). 

45.  They  perceived.     At  last,  but  now  clearly. 

46.  They  feared  the  multitude.  Else  in  their  anger  they 
might  have  taken  him  then. 

227 


MATTHEW 


22.       And  Jesus  answered  and  spake  again  in  parables 

2.  unto  them,  saying,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  Ukened 
unto  a  certain  king,  which  made  a  marriage  feast  for 

3.  his  son,  and  sent  forth  his  servants  to  call  them  that 
were  bidden  to  the  marriage  feast:   and  they  would 

4.  not  come.  Again  he  sent  forth  other  servants,  saying. 
Tell  them  that  are  bidden.  Behold,  I  have  made  ready 
my  dinner :  my  oxen  and  my  f athngs  are  killed,  and 

5.  all  things  are  ready :  come  to  the  marriage  feast.  But 
they  made  light  of  it,  and  went  their  ways,  one  to  his 

6.  own  farm,  another  to  his  merchandise:  and  the  rest 
laid  hold  on  his  servants,  and  entreated  them  shame- 

7.  fully,  and  killed  them.  But  the  king  was  wroth;  and 
he  sent  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those  murderers,  and 

8.  burned  their  city.  Then  saith  he  to  his  servants. 
The  wedding  is  ready,  but  they  that  were  bidden  were 

9.  not  worthy.  Go  ye  therefore  unto  the  partings  of 
the  highways,  and  as  many  as  ye  shall  find,  bid  to  the 

10.  marriage  feast.  And  those  servants  went  out  into  the 
highways,  and  gathered  together  all  as  many  as  they 
found,  both  bad  and  good :  and  the  wedding  was  filled 


(4)    The  Parable  of  the  Marriage  Feast  of  the  King's  Son, 
22 :  1-14 

1.  Again  in  parables.  Only  one  is  here  given,  unless  we  take 
11-14  to  be  a  new  parable.  But  the  phrase  does  not  necessarily 
mean  that  he  spoke  more  than  one.  This  is  the  third  on  this 
occasion.  It  is  somewhat  like  that  of  the  Great  Supper  in  Lk. 
14:  16-24. 

2.  A  certain  king.  Here  the  blessings  that  are  missed  by  the 
rulers  come  before  us.  The  royal  banquet  presents  the  joys  of 
the  kingdom.  The  conduct  of  the  rulers  in  their  treatment  of 
the  King's  messengers  is  similar  to  that  portrayed  in  the  parable 
of  the  Wicked  Husbandmen.  It  is  not  necessary  to  apply  each 
group  of  the  messengers.  There  is  the  same  general  contrast  be- 
tween the  rulers  and  the  publicans  and  harlots. 

228 


MATTHEW 


II.  with  guests.  But  when  the  king  came  in  to  behold 
the  guests,  he  saw  there  a  man  which  had  not  on  a 

12  wedding-garment:  and  he  saith  unto  him,  Friend, 
how  camest  thou  in  hither  not  having  a  wedding- 

13.  garment?  And  he  was  speechless.  Then  the  king 
said  to  the  servants.  Bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  cast 
him  out  into  the  outer  darkness;   there  shall  be  the 

14.  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  For  many  are  called, 
but  few  chosen. 

2.   The  Onset  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  Herodians,  22  :  15-22 

15.  Then  went  the  Pharisees,  and  took  counsel  how  M 

16.  they  might  ensnare  him  in  his  talk.  And  they  send 
to  him  their  disciples,  with  the  Herodians,  saying, 

II.  But  when  the  king  came  in.  The  dramatic  moment. 
Had  not  on  a  wedding- garment.  Not  necessarily  a  specific  wed- 
ding-garment, though  one  was  probably  furnished  to  the  guests  as 
they  came  in  through  the  door.  He  was  not  properly  dressed  for 
the  occasion.  The  point  seems  to  mean  that  one  must  have  the 
inward  reality  and  cannot  slip  into  the  kingdom  by  a  side  door 
without  the  character  demanded  by  the  King. 

13.  Into  outer  darkness.  One  of  the  most  awful  descriptions 
of  hell. 

14.  For  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen.  The  people  of 
Palestine  had  been  invited  by  Jesus,  but  few  had  responded. 
This  moral  applies  to  the  parable  as  a  whole,  not  merely  to  the 
part  about  the  wedding-garment.  The  doctrines  of  election  and  of 
human  free  agency  are  both  implied  in  the  saying. 

15.  The  Pharisees.  The  Sadducees  and  Pharisees  (Matt. 
21 :  45)  had  joined  hands  in  the  previous  attack  which  had  ended 
so  disastrously.  These  two  parties  keep  up  the  attack,  but  sepa- 
rately. The  Pharisees  first  resume  the  conflict.  Mark  (12:  13) 
limits  the  fresh  onslaught  to  "  certain  of  the  Pharisees."  En- 
snare him  in  his  talk.  The  bold  challenge  of  the  authority  of 
Jesus  had  failed.     They  now  proceed  by  indirection. 

16.  Their  disciples.  Cf.  "  their  scribes  "  in  Lk.  5 :  30  (Mk. 
2:  16)  like  our  modern  theological  students.  Luke  (20:  20)  here 
bluntly  calls  them  "  spies."  The  purpose  of  all  this  scheming  is 
to  find  a  pretext  for  dehvering  Jesus  "  up  to  the  rule  and  author- 

229 


MATTHEW 


Master,  we  know  that  thou  art  true,  and  teachest  the 
way  of  God  in  truth,  and  carest  not  for  any  one :  for 

17.  thou  regardest  not  the  person  of  men.  Tell  us  there- 
fore. What  thinkest  thou  ?    Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute 

18.  unto  Caesar,  or  not?  But  Jesus  perceived  their 
wickedness,  and  said.  Why  tempt  ye  me,  ye  hypo- 

19.  crites?     Shew    me    the   tribute   money.     And    they 

20.  brought  unto  him  a  penny.     And  he  saith  unto  them, 

21.  Whose  is  this  image  and  superscription?  They  say 
unto  him,  Caesar's.  Then  saith  he  unto  them.  Render 
therefore  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's ;  and 


ity  of  the  governor."  With  the  Herodians.  As  once  before 
(Mk.  3:  16).  They  have  no  love  for  one  another  (cf.  the  Sad- 
ducees  and  Pharisees).  They  only  hate  Jesus  more.  All  three 
parties  here  appear  against  him.  Master.  Teacher.  They  are 
very  respectful  and  suave.  They  cannot  deny  the  power  of 
Jesus  with  the  people.  The  courage  of  Jesus,  which  they  here  ac- 
knowledge, has  just  been  shown. 

17.  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute  unto  Caesar,  or  not?  The 
dilemma  is  perfect.  Both  the  Pharisees  and  the  Herodians  re- 
sented the  taxes  to  Caesar  (a  general  term  appHed  to  Augustus  in 
Lk.  2  :  I,  Tiberius  in  Lk.  3  :  i,  Claudius  in  Acts  17:7,  Nero  in  Acts 
25  :  8  f.).  The  people  in  general  sympathized  with  this  attitude. 
To  champion  the  Roman  taxes  would  be  to  lose  influence  with  the 
people.  But  to  oppose  the  Roman  taxes  would  be  to  expose  one's 
self  to  the  power  of  Rome.  These  bland  questioners  would  at 
once  report  Jesus  to  Pilate. 

18.  Perceived  their  wickedness.  "  Their  hypocrisy  "  (Mk. 
12  :  15),  "  their  craftiness  "  (Lk.  20 :  23).  Here  he  addresses  them 
as  "  ye  hypocrites."  Jesus  had  direct  insight  into  the  motives  of 
men. 

19.  Shew  me  the  tribute  money.  Mark  (12  :  15)  has  it  "  Bring 
me  a  penny  "  (denarius),  as  if  they  either  did  not  have  one,  or 
had  to  get  it  from  others.  Possibly  they  had  scruples  about  hav- 
ing the  Roman  coin.  The  Sadducees  had  no  scruples  about  this 
tax. 

21.  Render  therefore.  The  very  inscription  on  the  money 
was  an  acknowledgment  of  debt  to  Caesar.  The  tax  was  not  a 
gift,  but  a  debt  for  law,  order,  roads,  etc.  There  is  a  duty  to  the 
state  and  a  duty  to  God.     Jesus  had  already  indorsed  the  temple 

230 


MATTHEW 


22.  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's.  And  when  they 
heard  it,  they  marvelled,  and  left  him,  and  went  their 
way. 

3.   The  Attack  of  the  Sadducees,  22 :  23-33 

23.  On  that  day  there  came  to  him  Sadducees,  which  M 
say  that  there  is  no  resurrection :  and  they  asked  him, 

24.  saying,  Master,  Moses  said.  If  a  man  die,  having  no  Deu 
children,  his  brother  shall  marry  his  wife,  and  raise  up      ^" 

25.  seed  unto  his  brother.  Now  there  were  with  us  seven 
brethren:    and  the  first  married  and  deceased,  and 

26.  having  no  seed  left  his  wife  unto  his  brother ;  in  like 
manner  the  second  also,  and  the  tliird,  unto  the  seventh. 

27,28.  And  after  them  all  the  woman  died.  In  the  resur- 
rection therefore  whose  wife  shall  she  be  of  the  seven  ? 

tax.  The  "  image  and  superscription  "  implied  the  authority  of 
the  emperor  who  had  struck  the  coin.  The  two  spheres  are  dis- 
tinct, but  both  exist.     The  Christian  is  not  to  evade  either. 

22.  They  marvelled,  and  left  him.  The  escape  of  Jesus  from 
their  dilemma  was  so  complete  that  they  are  helpless.  They  can 
do  nothing  but  retire  in  disgrace.  Luke  (20 :  26)  adds  that  they 
"  held  their  peace,"  these  disciples  of  the  Pharisees  and  Hero- 
dians. 

23.  On  that  day.  Alone  in  Matthew.  Sadducees.  Not 
disturbed  by  the  failure  of  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians.  They 
may  even  have  rejoiced  at  the  discomfiture  of  the  Pharisees  and 
have  taken  fresh  courage. 

24.  Moses  said.  Marriage  with  a  deceased  brother's  wife  is 
forbidden  in  Lev.  18:6;  20 :  21,  but  authorized  if  there  is  no  male 
issue  (Deut.  25  :  5-10).  Shall  marry  his  wife.  In  the  Greek,  shall 
perform  the  duty  of  a  huband's  brother  to  his  wife. 

28.  In  the  resurrection  therefore  whose  wife  shall  she  be  of 
the  seven?  The  Sadducees  had  probably  used  this  puzzle  with 
great  popular  effect  against  the  Pharisees  who  championed  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  They  hope  now  to  score  a  point 
against  both  Jesus  and  the  Pharisees,  just  as  the  Pharisees  and  He- 
rodians in  the  matter  of  tribute  to  Caesar  had  acted  independently 
of  the  Sadducees,  who  really  indorsed  that  tax.  On  this  point  it 
would  seem  that  the  Pharisees  had  always  been  put  at  a  dis- 
advantage by  the  Sadducees. 

231 


MATTHEW 


29.  for  they  all  had  her.  But  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  scriptures,  nor 

30.  the  power  of  God.  For  in  the  resurrection  they 
neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as 

31.  angels  in  heaven.  But  as  touching  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  have  ye  not  read  that  which  was  spoken 

32.  unto  you  by  God,  saying,  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham, 
and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob?     God 

^^.  is  not //fg  Go  J  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living.  And  when 
the  multitudes  heard  it,  they  were  astonished  at  his 
teaching. 

4.   A  Lawyer's  Inquiry,  22 :  34-40 

R  34.       But  the  Pharisees,  when  they  heard  that  he  had  put 
the  Sadducees  to  silence,  gathered  themselves  together. 


29.  Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  scriptures,  nor  the  power  of 
God.     They  were  ignorant  in  both  respects. 

30.  As  angels.  In  this  respect.  The  Sadducees  do  not 
understand  the  power  of  God  in  the  future  life.  They  deny  the 
existence  of  angels  also.  There  will  be  no  need  for  marriage  in 
heaven. 

31.  Have  ye  not  read?  Jesus  here  shows  their  ignorance  of 
the  Scriptures.  They  had  appealed  to  Moses.  Jesus  quotes  from 
Moses  (Ex.  3:6).     The  Sadducees  held  to  the  Pentateuch. 

32.  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living.  Only 
the  living  can  have  a  God.  It  was  an  astonishing  turn  of  a  famil- 
iar passage  and  a  complete  answer.  Even  the  Pharisees  had 
failed  to  find  proof  of  a  future  life  in  the  Pentateuch. 

33.  When  the  multitudes  heard  it.  They  had  listened  eagerly 
to  the  debate  between  Jesus  and  his  enemies.  This  point  in 
particular  had  greatly  interested  them.  They  cannot  restrain 
their  enthusiasm  for  Jesus.  Even  the  Pharisees  (scribes,  Lk. 
20 :  39)  applaud  this  victory  of  Jesus  over  the  Sadducees.  Cf. 
Matt.  22 :  34. 

34.  But  the  Pharisees.  They  could  not  conceal  their  satisfac- 
tion at  the  defeat  of  the  Sadducees.  But  all  the  more  it  was 
important  for  them  to  renew  the  attack  on  Jesus,  else  the  people 
would  think  him  victorious  over  all. 

232 


MATTHEW 


35.  And  one  of  them,  a  lawyer,  asked  him  a  question,  M 

36.  tempting  him.  Master,  which  is  the  great  command- 

37.  ment  in  the  law?    And  he  said  unto  him.  Thou  shalt  Dei 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 

38.  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.    This  is  the  great 

39.  and  first  commandment.    And  a  second  like  unto  it  Lev 

40.  is  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  On 
these  two  commandments  hangeth  the  whole  law,  and 
the  prophets. 

5.  Jesus  turns  the  Tables  on  his  Enemies  by  demanding 
their  Interpretation  of  the  Messiah,  22 :  41-46 

41.  Now  while  the  Pharisees  were  gathered  together,  M 

42.  Jesus  asked  them  a  question,  sa3dng.  What  think  ye 

35.  And  one  of  them,  a  lawyer.  The  lawyers  (scribes)  were 
generally  Pharisees.  These  doctors  of  the  law  have  been  com- 
pared to  our  modern  LL.D.  (doctor  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
law),  since  both  kinds  of  law  were  studied  by  them.  Tempting 
him.  But  Mark  (12  :  28)  merely  has  "  knowing  that  he  had  an- 
swered them  well."  Hence  some  scholars  think  that  Matthew 
had  another  source  here  than  Mark,  and  that  Mark  was  more 
favorable  in  his  report  of  this  scribe  than  Matthew.  Mark 
(12  :  32-34)  has  the  scribe  agreeing  with  Jesus  and  receiving  the 
commendation  of  Christ.  Still,  it  was  the  answer  of  Jesus  to  the 
Sadducees  that  the  lawyer  liked,  and  the  reply  of  Jesus  to  his  own 
query  may  have  taken  the  spirit  of  opposition  out  of  him.  He 
was  evidently  not  one  of  the  very  worst  of  the  Pharisees. 

36.  Which  is  the  great  commandment  in  the  law?  More 
exactly,  "  What  sort  of  commandment  is  great  in  the  law?  " 

37.  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God.  Love  is  the  principle 
that  gives  rank  to  the  commandments.  All  else  comes  out  of 
love  to  God.     Jesus  quotes  Deut.  6 :  5. 

39.  And  a  second.  This  is  also  based  on  love.  Love  of  God 
makes  possible  love  of  one's  neighbor.     Jesus  quotes  Lev.  19 :  18. 

40.  On  these  two.  In  Lk.  10 :  27  a  lawyer  combines  these  two 
commandments.  The  lawyer  had  asked  for  the  law  and  Jesus 
gave  him  two  quotations  from  the  law.  There  was  nothing  for 
him  to  do  but  to  agree. 

41.  While  the  Pharisees  were  gathered  together.     Cf.  Matt. 

233 


MATTHEW 


of  the  Christ  ?  whose  son  is  he  ?    They  say  unto  him, 

43.  The  son  of  David.    He  saith  unto  them,  How  then 
doth  David  in  the  Spirit  call  him  Lord,  saying, 

44.  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord, 
Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand, 

Till  I  put  thine  enemies  underneath  thy  feet  ? 

45.  If  David  then  calleth  him  Lord,  how  is  he  his  son? 


22  :  34.  Jesus  turns  on  them,  for  they  had  made  the  last  attack 
and  had  been  his  most  persistent  enemies  all  through  his  ministry. 
Matthew  more  than  any  of  the  Gospels  shows  this  growing  antag- 
onism between  the  Pharisees  and  Jesus. 

42.  What  think  ye  of  the  Christ.  This  was  not  a  flippant 
question,  nor  one  asked  merely  to  put  the  Pharisees  at  a  dis- 
advantage. It  was  really  the  fundamental  difference  between 
Jesus  and  the  Pharisees.  They  held  divergent  views  concerning 
the  Messiah.  Whose  son  is  he?  There  was  no  difference  of 
opinion  on  this  point.  He  had  to  be  a  son  of  David.  Matthew 
took  pains  to  prove  that  Jesus  was  this.  He  had  to  be  more  than 
a  son  of  David,  and  this  is  where  the  Pharisees  had  failed  to  under- 
stand Jesus. 

43 .  How  then  doth  David  in  the  Spirit  call  him  Lord  ?  A  num- 
ber of  problems  are  raised  by  this  query  of  Jesus.  The  quotation 
is  from  Psalm  no,  which  was  generally  held  as  Messianic  and 
Davidic  in  authorship.  Jesus  attributes  inspiration  also  to  David. 
The  inspiration  and  Messianic  application  modern  critics  admit, 
but  many  of  them  deny  the  Davidic  authorship.  Some  suggest 
that  the  Psalmist  is  quoting  David,  others  that  Jesus  merely  takes 
the  popular  point  of  view  for  argument's  sake,  others  that  Je- 
sus himself  really  did  not  know.  The  matter  cannot  be  argued 
here,  but  one  may  note  in  passing  that,  if  the  inspiration  here 
attributed  by  Jesus  to  David  be  allowed,  the  Davidic  authorship 
becomes  less  difficult  to  hold. 

45.  If  David  then  calleth  him  Lord,  how  is  he  his  son?  The 
Pharisees  began  with  the  sonship  to  David  and  overlooked  the 
Lordship  of  the  Messiah.  But  he  was  greater  than  David  him- 
self, though  his  son.  Jesus  begins  with  the  Lordship  of  the  Mes- 
siah and  challenges  the  sonship,  not  because  it  was  untrue,  but 
because  it  alone  was  not  enough  to  satisfy  the  situation.  He 
does  not  answer  his  own  questions,  though  he  implies  that  the 
solution  is  that  the  Messiah  is  Lord,  and  therefore  superior  to  the 
ordinary  Jewish  interpretation  of  the  term  son  of  David. 

234 


MATTHEW 


46.  And  no  one  was  able  to  answer  him  a  word,  neither 
durst  any  man  from  that  day  forth  ask  him  any  more 
questions. 

6.   Vehement  Denunciation  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees^ 
'21 : 1-34 

23.       Then  spake  Jesus  to  the  multitudes  and  to  his 

2.  disciples,  saying,  The  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  sit 

3.  on  Moses'  seat :  all  things  therefore  whatsoever  they 
bid  you,  these  do  and  observe:   but  do  not  ye  after 

4.  their  works;  for  they  say,  and  do  not.  Yea,  they 
bind  heavy  burdens  and  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  lay 
them  on  men's  shoulders;   but  they  themselves  will 

46.  And  no  one  was  able  to  answer  him  a  word.  The  Phari- 
sees were  speechless.  They  had  never  seen  this  problem  in  the 
Psalm  before.  "  And  the  common  people  heard  him  gladly  " 
(Mk.  12:37).  The  debate  had  begun  with  the  effort  of  the 
rulers  to  ruin  the  influence  of  Jesus  with  the  people.  His  triumph 
is  complete.     He  is  more  the  popular  hero  than  ever. 

(i)    The  People  and  the  Disciples  warned  about  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  23:1-12 

1.  To  the  multitudes  and  the  disciples.  Mark  (12  :  38  f.)  and 
Luke  (20 :  45-47)  have  very  brief  descriptions  of  this  impressive 
scene.  The  Pharisees  were  still  present,  but  awed  and  silent. 
Jesus  here  draws  their  picture  in  bold  outline.  Some  of  these 
points  Christ  had  already  made  at  various  times  during  his  min- 
istry. But  now  the  culmination  has  come.  Jesus  unequivocally 
denounces  their  hypocrisy. 

2.  Sit  on  Moses'  seat.  I.e.  are  accepted  as  credited  and  su- 
preme religious  leaders. 

3.  All  things.  In  accord  with  the  seat  of  Moses.  Jesus  does 
not,  of  course,  mean  to  approve  out  of  hand  all  the  motives  of  the 
Pharisees.  But  do  not  ye  after  their  works.  The  chief  complaint 
that  Jesus  has  to  make  against  the  Pharisees  is  hypocrisy.  ^  They 
claina  to  be  good  and  speak  well,  but  do  not  live  up  to  their  pro- 
fession. No  sin  calls  forth  such  denunciation  from  Jesus  as  does 
hypocrisy. 

4.  But  they  themselves.     Typical  specimen  of  the  ecclesias- 

23s 


MATTHEW 


5.  not  move  them  with  their  finger.  But  all  their  works 
they  do  for  to  be  seen  of  men :  for  they  make  broad 
their  phylacteries,  and  enlarge  the  borders  of  their 

6.  garments,  and  love  the  chief  place  at  feasts,  and  the 

7.  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  the  salutations  in 
the  marketplaces,  and  to  be  called  of  men,  Rabbi. 

8.  But  be  not  ye  called  Rabbi :  for  one  is  your  teacher, 

9.  and  all  ye  are  brethren.  And  call  no  man  your  father 
on  the  earth:    for  one  is  your  Father,  which  is  in 

10.  heaven.    Neither  be  ye  called  masters :  for  one  is  your 

1 1 .  master,  even  the  Christ.     But  he  that  is  greatest  among 

12.  you  shall  be  your  servant.  And  whosoever  shall  exalt 
himself  shall  be  humbled ;  and  whosoever  shall  hum- 
ble himself  shall  be  exalted. 

13.  But  woe  imto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
crites !  because  ye  shut  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against 


tics  who  hold  themselves  aloof  from  and  above  the  people  with 
their  burdens  and  problems. 

5-  For  to  be  seen  of  men.  The  chief  motive  with  the  Pharisee 
in  his  ceremonial  practices  (cf.  Matt.  6:  1-18).  In  vs.  5-7  are 
mentioned  six  examples  of  their  conduct  to  be  seen  of  men. 
Phylacteries.  The  Pharisees  made  a  literal  application  of  the 
metaphor  in  Ex.  13  :  2-10,  11-17  and  bound  strips  of  the  law  to 
the  forehead  and  to  the  arm.  They  made  a  display  of  this  form. 
There  is  no  evidence  that  Jesus  wore  phylacteries.  The  borders 
of  their  garments.  More  properly,  their  "  tassels,"  thus  making 
conspicuous  their  legalistic  preciseness.  Jesus,  like  other  Jews, 
wore  these  tassels  to  his  garments  (Matt.  9:  20),  but  not  as  an 
evidence  of  punctilious  piety. 

8.  Be  not  ye  called  Rabbi.  Jesus  was  frequently  called  Rabbi. 
What  he  has  in  mind  evidently  is  to  warn  the  disciples  in  particu- 
lar against  anxiety  for  notice.  The  disciples  are  brethren,  are  on 
an  equality.  The  democracy  of  discipleship  is  here  sought.  Ec- 
clesiasticism  is  thus  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  Jesus. 

9.  Your  father  on  the  earth.  The  same  general  point.  Anx- 
iety for  rank  and  preferment  is  denounced. 

10.  Master.  Not  the  usual  word  for  teacher,  but  leader, 
guide. 

236 


MATTHEW 


men :  for  ye  enter  not  in  yourselves,  neither  suffer  ye 
them  that  are  entering  in  to  enter. 

15.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites ! 
for  ye  compass  sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte; 
and  when  he  is  become  so,  ye  make  him  twofold  more 
a  son  of  hell  than  yourselves. 

16.  Woe  imto  you,  ye  blind  guides,  which  say.  Who- 
soever shall  swear  by  the  temple,  it  is  nothing;  but 
whosoever  shall  swear  by  the  gold  of  the  temple,  he 

17.  is  a  debtor.  Ye  fools  and  blind :  for  whether  is  greater, 
the  gold,  or  the  temple  that  hath  sanctified  the  gold  ? 

18.  And,  Whosoever  shall  swear  by  the  altar,  it  is  nothing ; 
but  whosoever  shall  swear  by  the  gift  that  is  upon  it, 

19.  he  is  a  debtor.    Ye  blind :  for  whether  is  greater,  the 

20.  gift,  or  the  altar  that  sanctifieth  the  gift  ?  He  there- 
fore that  sweareth  by  the  altar,  sweareth  by  it,  and  by 


(2)    Denunciation  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  to  their  Faces, 
23:  13-31 

(a)  The  First  Woe.  For  being  in  the  way  of  those  who  seek 
to  enter  the  kingdom.  Vs.  13.  Cf.  Lk.  11 :  52.  Here  it  is  the 
door  of  the  kingdom,  while  in  Luke  it  is  the  door  of  knowledge 
about  the  kingdom.  It  is  a  denunciation  of  rabbinical  sophistry, 
the  oral  tradition  which  had  obscured  the  word  of  God.  Woe 
unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites.  Thus  each  of  the 
seven  woes  begins,  except  that  the  third  has  only  "  Woe  unto  you  " 
(vs.  16).  Vs.  14  is  not  genuine  here.  It  is  genuine  in  Mk.  12  :  40; 
Lk.  20 :  47.     This  really  makes  eight  woes. 

(b)  The  Second  Woe.  For  making  those  under  their  influence 
worse  than  they  were  before.  Vs.  15.  Son  of  hell.  Son  of 
Gehenna,  a  fearful  indictment  against  the  religious  leaders  of  the 
time. 

(c)  The  Third  Woe.  For  theological  hair-splitting.  16-22. 
They  made  casuistical  distinctions  to  decide  whether  an  oath  was 
binding  or  not.  They  distinguished  between  the  temple  and  the 
gold  of  the  temple,  between  the  altar  and  the  gift  that  is  on  it.     If 

237 


MATTHEW 


21.  all  things  thereon.  And  he  that  sweareth  by  the 
temple,  sweareth  by  it,  and  by  him  that  dwelleth 

22.  therein.  And  he  that  sweareth  by  the  heaven,  swear- 
eth by  the  throne  of  God,  and  by  him  that  sitteth 
thereon. 

23.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites ! 
for  ye  tithe  mint  and  anise  and  cummin,  and  have  left 
undone  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgement, 
and  mercy,  and  faith :  but  these  ye  ought  to  have  done, 

24.  and  not  to  have  left  the  other  undone.  Ye  blind  guides, 
which  strain  out  the  gnat,  and  swallow  the  camel. 

25.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites ! 
for  ye  cleanse  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the  platter, 
but  within  they  are  full  from  extortion  and  excess. 

26.  Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first  the  inside  of  the  cup 
and  of  the  platter,  that  the  outside  thereof  may  be- 
come clean  also. 

27.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites ! 
for  ye  are  like  unto  whited  sepulchres,    which  out- 

any  difference  were  made,  an  oath  by  the  temple  and  the  altar 
would  be  more  binding,  not  less.  But  it  was  subterfuge  and  cob- 
web. 

{d)  The  Fourth  Woe.  For  wrong  emphasis  in  duties.  23.  f. 
Their  scrupulosity  over  details  led  them  to  overlook  the  greater 
moral  issues  of  life.  According  to  Deut.  14  :  22  ;  Lev.  27  :  30  all  the 
herbs  had  to  be  tithed.  But  that  was  not  all  of  life  nor  the  main 
thing  in  life.  The  gnat  and  camel  make  a  strong  hyperbole. 
The  straining  out  of  the  gnat  was  done  for  water,  wine,  etc. 

(e)  The  Fifth  Woe.  For  mere  external  ceremonialism.  25  f. 
Cf.  Lk.  11:39.  The  Pharisees  were  more  afraid  of  ceremonial 
uncleanness  than  any  modern  man  could  be  of  germs  of  disease. 
With  them  it  was  not  a  question  of  real  cleanness,  but  of  cere- 
monial cleanness.     The  irony  is  keen. 

(/)  The  Sixth  Woe,  For  inward  corruption.  27  f.  The 
whited  sepulchre  is  a  graphic  picture  of  hypocrisy. 

238 


MATTHEW 


wardly  appear  beautiful,  but  inwardly  are  full  of  dead 

28.  men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness.  Even  so  ye  also 
outwardly  appear  righteous  unto  men,  but  inwardly 
ye  are  full  of  hypocrisy  and  iniquity. 

29.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites ! 
for  ye  build  the  sepulchres  of  the  prophets,  and  gar- 

30.  nish  the  tombs  of  the  righteous,  and  say.  If  we  had 
been  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we  should  not  have 
been  partakers  with  them  in  the  blood  of  the  prophets. 

31.  Wherefore  ye  witness  to  yourselves,  that  ye  are  sons 

32.  of  them  that  slew  the  prophets.     Fill  ye  up  then  the 

33.  measure  of  your  fathers.  Ye  serpents,  ye  offspring 
of  vipers,  how  shall  ye  escape  the  judgement  of  hell  ? 

34.  Therefore,  behold,  I  send  imto  you  prophets,  and  wise 
men,  and  scribes:  some  of  them  shall  ye  kill  and 
crucify;   and  some  of  them  shall  ye  scourge  in  your 

35.  synagogues,  and  persecute  from  city  to  city:  that 
upon  you  may  come  all  the  righteous  blood  shed  on 
the  earth,  from  the  blood  of  Abel  the  righteous  unto 
the  blood  of  Zachariah  son  of  Barachiah,  whom  ye  slew 


(g)  The  Seventh  Woe.  For  being  like  their  fathers.  29-32. 
The  thought  is  not  altogether  plain,  but  is  probably  this :  al- 
though the  Pharisees  declare  they  would  not  have  killed  the  proph- 
ets had  they  lived  in  their  fathers'  days,  they  yet  are  partners 
in  the  deed  in  that  they  build  the  tombs  for  their  fathers'  victims. 
The  imperative  in  verse  32  is  correct.     It  is  sarcasm. 

(h)  The  Climax.  33-36.  If  one  thinks  that  these  words  are 
too  bitter,  he  must  recall  the  long  restraint  of  Jesus.  There  does 
come  a  time  for  the  full  exposure  of  hypocrites.  It  had  come  for 
the  Pharisees.  The  words  of  Jesus  burn,  but  they  are  true  and 
merited. 

33.  Ye  serpents.     Cf.  Matt.  12  :  34. 

34.  Therefore,  behold,  I  send.     Cf.  Matt.  10:  16  ff. 

35.  From  the  blood  of  Abel.  In  Gen.  4:10,  the  first  book  in 
the  O.  T.  Zachariah  the  son  of  Barachiah.  In  2  Chron.  24 :  20- 
22  (the  last  book  of  the  Jewish  Canon)  it  is  Zachariah  the  son  of 

239 


MATTHEW 


36.  between  the  sanctuary  and  the  altar.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  All  these  things  shall  come  upon  this  generation. 

7.   Lament  over  Jerusalem^  23  :  37-39 

37.  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  which  killeth  the  prophets, 
and  stoneth  them  that  are  sent  unto  her !  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as 
a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye 

38.  would  not !    Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto  you  deso- 

39.  late.  For  I  say  imto  you.  Ye  shall  not  see  me  hence- 
forth, till  ye  shall  say.  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord. 

Jehoiada  who  is  mentioned.  Cf.  Lk.  11:51,  where  "son  of 
Barachiah  "  is  not  mentioned.  The  prophet  (Zech  i :  i)  could  be 
meant,  but  we  have  no  account  of  his  murder.  The  text  in  Mat- 
thew may  represent  early  textual  error.  The  original  reading 
may  have  been,  as  in  Luke,  merely  Zachariah. 

37.  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem.  Luke  (13:34  f.)  has  this 
lament  at  an  earlier  period  in  Perea.  The  connection  is  suitable 
in  both  places  and  the  lament  may  have  been  uttered  twice.  It 
forms  a  fitting  close  to  the  denunciation  of  the  Pharisees.  Indeed, 
Luke  (19 :  41-44)  has  another  lament  over  Jerusalem  as  Jesus  be- 
held the  city  on  the  Triumphal  Entry.  But  the  language  is  iden- 
tical in  Luke  13 :  34  f.  and  in  Matthew,  so  that  it  becomes  more 
difl&cult,  though  not  impossible,  to  think  of  the  repetition.  There 
were  two  lamentations  according  to  Luke  and  there  may  have  been 
another  according  to  Matthew.  If  there  were  only  two,  there  is 
no  way  to  decide  which  order  is  correct  between  Matthew  and 
Luke  in  the  matter  under  discussion.  Note  the  solemn  repetition 
of  the  name  Jerusalem.  How  often.  This  language  implies  a 
Jerusalem  ministry  more  extensive  than  is  shown  in  the  Synoptic 
Gospels.  The  Gospel  of  John  makes  the  point  clearer,  being 
largely  devoted  to  the  Judean  ministry  of  Jesus. 

38.  Your  house.  Jerusalem.  Cf.  Lk.  19 :  41-44.  It  is  the 
destruction  of  the  city. 

39.  Till  ye  shall  say.  The  multitudes  had  said  at  the  Trium- 
phal Entry  (Lk.  19 :  38).  If  the  order  of  Lk.  13  :  34  f.  is  correct, 
that  could  be  the  fulfilment.  But,  as  Matthew  has  it,  the  second 
coming  is  what  Jesus  has  in  mind.  Thus  ends  the  last  public  dis- 
course of  Jesus. 

240 


IX.  The   Coming  Judgment  on  the  City  and   the 
World,  24  and  25 

I.   The  Prophecy  of  the  Endj  24: 1-3 1 

24.       And  Jesus  went  out  from  the  temple,  and  was  going 
on  his  way ;  and  his  disciples  came  to  him  to  shew  him 

2.  the  buildings  of  the  temple.  But  he  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  See  ye  not  all  these  things?  verily 
I  say  unto  you,  There  shall  not  be  left  here  one  stone 
upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down. 

3.  And  as  he  sat  on  the  mount  of  Olives,  the  disciples 
came  unto  him  privately,  saying,  Tell  us,  when  shall 
these  things  be?    and  what  shall  he  the  sign  of  thy 


The  destruction  of  the  temple,  the  second  return  of  Jesus  as 
Messiah,  the  end  of  the  age  blend  all  through  this  eschatological 
discourse;  now  one,  now  the  other,  is  in  the  foreground.  The 
death  of  Jesus  lies  back  of  all  that  is  here  said.  According  to 
Matt.  23  :  37-39  Jesus  had  just  foretold,  in  symbolic  language,  the 
destruction  of  the  temple.  It  was  natural  that,  as  they  passed 
out  for  the  last  time,  the  disciples  should  comment  on  the  beauty 
of  these  buildings.  But  now  they  are  astonished  to  hear  Christ 
pointedly  foretell  the  doom  of  the  city. 

3.  Privately.  They  wait  till  they  rest  on  the  Mount  of  Olives 
on  the  way  to  Bethany  to  ask  about  the  solemn  words  of  Jesus. 
Peter,  James,  John,  Andrew  (Mk.  13  :  3)  were  the  ones  who  asked 
Jesus.  When.  That  catastrophe  they  may  have  associated  with 
the  end  of  the  age.  End  of  the  world.  Consummation  of  the  age. 
All  the  current  problems  of  eschatology  are  thus  raised.  The 
reply  of  Jesus  as  given  in  the  Synoptic  Gospels  is  probably  the 
most  difficult  portion  of  the  Gospels  to  explain.  It  is  the  longest 
discourse  given  in  Mark.  All  sorts  of  problems  are  raised  by  it, 
whether  the  Gospels  have  incorporated  a  Jewish  apocalypse  at 
this  point,  whether  the  disciples  clearly  apprehended  what  Jesus 
said,  whether  the  Gospels  have  put  into  one  great  discourse  much 

K  241 


MATTHEW 


4.  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world  ?    And  Jesus  an- 
swered and  said  unto  them,  Take  heed  that  no  man 

5.  lead  you  astray.    For  many  shall  come  in  my  name, 
saying,  I  am  the  Christ ;  and  shall  lead  many  astray. 

6.  And  ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and  rumours  of  wars :  see 
that  ye  be  not  troubled :  for  these  things  must  needs 


that  Jesus  said  on  various  occasions,  how  the  apocalyptic  imagery 
is  to  be  understood,  how  the  various  topics  are  to  be  distinguished. 
The  subject  is  too  large  for  extensive  treatment  here.  In  general 
it  may  be  said  that  it  seems  appropriate  and  probable  that  Jesus 
on  this  occasion  delivered  such  a  discourse  just  before  his  death 
and  after  the  final  break  with  the  rulers.  It  is  improbable  that 
the  Gospels  would  incorporate  into  the  words  of  Jesus  a  Jewish 
apocalypse.  Jesus  himself  on  various  occasions  had  spoken  of  the 
eschatological  side  of  the  kingdom.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  some 
of  those  sayings  should  be  repeated  at  this  time  (cf.  Lk.  12  :  39-46 ; 
17  :  26-35).  Inasmuch  as  several  subjects  are  raised  in  the  query 
of  the  disciples,  they  are  treated  more  or  less  together  in  the  reply 
of  Jesus.  He  may  not  have  kept  them  separate.  They  are  cer- 
tainly blended  in  the  report.  It  is  not  possible  always  to  separate 
them.  In  one  sense  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  was  a  coming  of 
Christ  with  power  and  was  a  symbol  of  the  judgment  at  the  end  of 
the  world.  The  first  part  of  the  discourse  mainly  refers  to  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem ;  the  last  part  is  wholly  about  the  end  of 
the  world  and  the  second  coming;  the  middle  portion  is  now 
about  one  and  now  about  the  other.  It  may  be  said  further  that 
Jesus  used  the  current  apocalyptic  language  (cf.  Daniel,  Ezekiel, 
and  the  Jewish  apocalypses  like  Baruch,  Enoch,  etc.)  in  order  to 
be  understood.  But  his  language  is  free  from  the  gross  and 
materialistic  ideas  in  some  of  the  Jewish  apocalypses  of  the  time. 
Jesus  spiritualized  the  language  of  the  time  and  used  it  for  a  moral 
purpose.  He  wishes  to  warn  the  disciples  and  early  Christians 
and  urge  them  to  holy  living.  As  in  all  apocalyptic  language,  it  is 
highly  figurative  and  not  meant  to  be  taken  in  literal  detail.  A 
general  and  tentative  analysis  of  the  discourse  is  all  that  can  be 
here  attempted. 

3.  End  of  the  world.  Jesus  answers  the  disciples' last  question 
first.  He  warns  them  against  false  Christs,  and  false  prophets 
with  progranmies  and  dates.  The  Gospel  must  first  be  proclaimed 
in  the  whole  world  and  many  troubles  will  come.  It  is  important 
to  remember  this  distinct  statement,  for  some  even  say  that  Jesus 
himself  expected  to  come  back  right  away.     He  manifestly  cannot' 

242 


MATTHEW 


7.  come  to  pass ;  but  the  end  is  not  yet.  For  nation  shall 
rise  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom: 
and  there  shall  be  famines  and  earthquakes  in  divers 

8.  places.    But  all  these  things  are  the  beginning  of 

9.  travail.  Then  shall  they  dehver  you  up  unto  tribu- 
lation, and  shall  kill  you :  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all 

10.  the  nations  for  my  name's  sake.  And  then  shall  many 
stumble,  and  shall  deliver  up  one  another,  and  shall 

11.  hate  one  another.    And  many  false  prophets  shall 

12.  arise,  and  shall  lead  many  astray.  And  because 
iniquity  shall  be  multipHed,  the  love  of  the  many  shall 

13.  wax  cold.     But  he  that  endureth  to  the  end,  the  same 

14.  shall  be  saved.  And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall 
be  preached  in  the  whole  world  for  a  testimony  imto 
all  the  nations ;   and  then  shall  the  end  come. 

15.  When  therefore  ye  see  the  abomination  of  desola- 
tion, which  was  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet, 
standing  in  the  holy  place  (let  him  that  readeth  imder- 


mean  that  in  view  of  vss.  4-14.  Jesus  here  presupposes  the  cur- 
rent belief  in  the  two  ages  —  "  this  age  "  and  "  the  coming  age." 
The  former  would  end  (be  consummated),  the  latter  begin,  at  the 
triumph  of  the  Messiah. 

14,  And  then  shall  the  end  come.  This  "  then  "  in  Matthew 
is  a  very  vague  note  of  time,  but  it  will  be  "  not  yet  "  (vs.  6). 

15.  Abomination  of  desolation.  Cf.  i  Mace,  i :  54,  59,  where 
the  reference  is  to  the  desecration  of  the  altar  of  burnt  offerings 
by  an  heathen  altar  erected  upon  it.  In  the  holy  place.  A  dis- 
tinct reference  to  a  desecration  of  the  temple.  Daniel  the 
prophet.  See  Dan.  9:17;  11:31;  12:11.  Luke  (21 :  21)  men- 
tions the  compassing  of  Jerusalem  with  armies.  Mark  does  not 
refer  to  Daniel.  Let  him  that  readeth  imderstand.  In  Mark 
(13  :  14)  this  parenthesis  naturally  seems  the  warning  of  the  Evan- 
gehst.  In  Matthew  it  might  be  the  remark  of  Jesus  referring  to 
Daniel,  but  even  in  Matthew  it  may  be  the  word  of  the  Evangelist. 
If  it  is  the  note  of  the  Evangelist,  it  has  some  bearing  on  the  date 
of  the  Gospel. 

243 


MATTHEW 


i6.   stand),  then  let  them  that  are  in  Judaea  flee  unto  the 

17.  mountains:   let  him  that  is  on  the  housetop  not  go 

18.  down  to  take  out  the  things  that  are  in  his  house :  and 
let  him  that  is  in  the  field  not  return  back  to  take  his 

19.  cloke.    But  woe  unto  them  that  are  with  child  and 

20.  to  them  that  give  suck  in  those  days  !  And  pray  ye 
that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  winter,  neither  on  a 

21.  sabbath:  for  then  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such  as 
hath  not  been  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  until 

22.  now,  no,  nor  ever  shall  be.  And  except  those  days 
had  been  shortened,  no  flesh  would  have  been  saved : 
but  for  the  elect's  sake  those  days  shall  be  shortened. 

23.  Then  if  any  man  shall  say  unto  you,  Lo,  here  is  the 

24.  Christ,  or,  Here ;  believe  it  not.  For  there  shall  arise 
false  Christs,  and  false  prophets,  and  shall  shew  great 
signs  and  wonders ;    so  as  to  lead  astray,  if  possible, 

25.  even  the  elect.     Behold,  I  have  told  you  beforehand. 

26.  If  therefore  they  shall  say  unto  you.  Behold,  he  is  in 
the  wilderness;    go  not  forth:    Behold,  he  is  in  the 

27.  inner  chambers ;  believe  it  not.  For  as  the  Hghtning 
Cometh  forth  from  the  east,  and  is  seen  even  unto  the 
west:  so   shall  be  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man. 

28.  Wheresoever  the  carcase  is,  there  will  the  eagles  be 
gathered  together. 

29.  But  immediately,  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days, 

16.  Flee  unto  the  mountains.  The  Christians  did  flee  to  Pella 
in  Perea  during  the  siege  of  Jerusalem. 

22.  No  flesh  would  have  been  saved.  In  Jerusalem.  For  the 
horror  of  this  dreadful  event  see  Josephus,  War. 

26.  Behold.  The  warning  about  false  Christs  and  prophets  is 
repeated.     Vss.  26  and  27  are  like  Lk.  17 :  23,  24. 

28.  Wheresoever  the  carcase  is.  Cf.  Lk.  17  :  37,  a  proverbial 
saying.  So  Job  29  :  30 ;  Hab.  i  :  8.  The  application  here  is  more 
general  than  in  Luke. 

29.  But  immediately.     Mark   (13 :  24)   has  only   "  in   those 

244 


MATTHEW 


the  sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give 
her  Hght,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the 

30.  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken :  and  then  shall 
appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven :  and  then 
shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and  they  shall 
see  the  Son  of  man  coming  on  the  clouds  of  heaven 

31.  with  power  and  great  glory.  And  he  shall  send  forth 
his  angels  with  a  great  soimd  of  a  trumpet,  and  they 
shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds, 
from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other. 

2.   Parables  of  Warning  against  being  surprised  by  the 
Coming  of  the  Christ,  24:32-25:30 

32.  Now  from  the  fig  tree  learn  her  parable :  when  her 
branch  is  now  become  tender,  and  putteth  forth  its 

33.  leaves,  ye  know  that  the  summer  is  nigh ;  even  so  ye 
also,  when  ye  see  all  these  things,  know  ye  that  he  is 

34.  nigh,  even  at  the  doors.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  This 
generation  shall  not  pass  away,  till  all  these  things  be 

days."  Cf.  Rev.  22:20,  "I  come  quickly,"  and  Rev.  1:1, 
"  shortly."  The  notes  of  time  in  apocalypse  are  very  vague 
and  uncertain  and  are  not  to  be  pressed  literally.  Cf .  2  Pet.  3  :  8  f . 
Recall  also  the  "  not  yet  "  of  Jesus  above  and  the  statement  of  his 
own  ignorance  as  to  time  in  Matt.  24  :  36.  The  uncertainty  as  to 
the  time  of  the  end  is  the  dominant  note.  Bold  imagery  is  a 
characteristic  of  apocalyptic. 

32.  Is  the  parable  about  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the 
second  coming  of  Jesus,  or  both?  The  matter  is  not  perfectly 
clear. 

33.  He  is  nigh.  Luke  (21:31)  has  "  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
nigh."  What  is  it  that  will  be,  as  the  fig  leaves  are  a  sign  of  sum- 
mer, a  sign  of  the  coming  of  the  kingdom?  Is  it  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem?  If  so,  does  Jesus  mean  that  the  end  of  the  age  is 
then  near?  Or  will  the  destruction  of  the  city  be  itself  a  means 
of  the  spread  of  the  kingdom  in  the  world?  This  latter  is  the 
more  probable  idea. 

34.  This  generation  shall  not  pass  away  till  all  these  things  be 

24s 


MATTHEW 


35.  accomplished.    Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 

36.  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away.  But  of  that  day 
and  hour  knoweth  no  one,  not  even  the  angels  of 

37.  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father  only.  And 
as  were  the  days  of  Noah,  so  shall  be  the  coming  of  the 

38.  Son  of  man.  For  as  in  those  days  which  were  before 
the  flood  they  were  eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and 
giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  entered 

39.  into  the  ark,  and  they  knew  not  until  the  flood  came, 
and  took  them  all  away ;  so  shall  be  the  coming  of  the 

40.  Son  of  man.     Then  shaU  two  men  be  in  the  field ;  one 

41.  is  taken,  and  one  is  left :  two  women  shall  be  grinding 

42.  at  the  mill;    one  is  taken,  and  one  is  left.    Watch 


fulfilled.  This  is  the  most  difficult  verse  in  the  entire  discourse* 
unless  Jesus  has  in  mind  only  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The 
use  of  "  all  these  things  "  seems  against  that  interpretation,  but 
the  language  shifts  so  often  from  one  subject  to  the  other  that  one 
hesitates  to  insist  too  literally  on  the  inclusive  sense.  Thus  also 
a  perfectly  natural  meaning  is  given  to  "  this  generation."  On 
the  whole,  fewer  obstacles  seem  to  lie  in  this  direction,  to  apply  the 
language  to  the  destruction  of  the  city. 

36.  Neither  the  Son,  but  the  Fatiier  only.  It  is  doubtful  if 
"  neither  the  Son  "  is  genuine  in  Matthew,  though  it  is  involved 
in  the  words  "  Father  only."  But  the  words  are  genuine  in  Mk. 
13:32.  The  matter  about  which  Jesus  confesses  ignorance  is 
the  time  of  his  second  coming  and  the  end  of  the  world.  It  is 
curious  that  in  the  face  of  this  statement  so  many  schemes  with 
dates  of  the  end  of  the  world  have  been  made.  They  have  all 
come  to  naught.  Jesus  is  confident  as  to  the  fact,  but  uncertain 
as  to  the  time.  The  knowledge  of  Jesus  while  on  earth  was  limited 
in  other  matters  also,  as  we  have  seen,  but  limitation  does  not 
mean  error.  It  is  gratuitous  to  say  that  Jesus  expected  to  corne 
back  soon  (as  we  count  time),  after  he  expressly  says  that  he  did 
not  know  the  time. 

37.  As  were  the  days  of  Noah.     Cf.  Lk,  17:27. 

40.  Two  men.     Cf.  Lk.  17:  34. 

41.  Two  women.     Cf.  Lk.  17  :  35. 

42.  Watch  therefore.  The  uncertainty  of  the  day  is  an  argu- 
ment for  watchfulness,  not  for  indifference. 

246 


MATTHEW 


therefore:   for  ye  know  not  on  what  day  your  Lord 

43.  Cometh.  But  know  this,  that  if  the  master  of  the 
house  had  known  in  what  watch  the  thief  was  coming, 
he  would  have  watched,  and  would  not  have  suffered 

44.  his  house  to  be  broken  through.  Therefore  be  ye 
also  ready :  for  in  an  hour  that  ye  think  not  the  Son 

45.  of  man  cometh.  Who  then  is  the  faithful  and  wise 
servant,  whom  his  lord  hath  set  over  his  household, 

46.  to  give  them  their  food  in  due  season?  Blessed  is 
that  servant,  whom  his  lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find 

47.  so  doing.     Verily  I  say  u^ito  you,  that  he  will  set  him 

48.  over  all  that  he  hath.     But  if  that  evil  servant  shall 

49.  say  in  his  heart,  My  lord  tarrieth ;  and  shall  begin  to 
beat  his  fellow-servants,  and  shall  eat  and  drink  with 

50.  the  drunken ;  the  lord  of  that  servant  shall  come  in  a 
day  when  he  expecteth  not,  and  in  an  hour  when  he 

51.  knoweth  not,  and  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint 
his  portion  with  the  hypocrites:  there  shall  be  the 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

25.       Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened  imto 

ten  virgins,  which  took  their  lamps,  and  went  forth  to 

2.   meet  the  bridegroom.    And  five  of  them  were  fooHsh, 


43.  But  know  this.  This  lesson  is  enforced  by  three  parables. 
The  first  is  that  of  the  wise  servant  (24 :  43-51).  Mark  (13  :  35- 
37)  and  Luke  (21 :  36)  both  have  the  warning,  but  not  the  para- 
bles. Luke  has  indeed  in  another  connection  a  parable  much  like 
the  first  (Lk.  12  :  39-46). 

51.   There.     Out  there  with  the  hypocrites,  a  picture  of  hell. 

I.  Likened  unto  ten  virgins.  The  second  of  the  parables 
exhorting  watchfulness  (Matt.  25:1-13).  The  details  of  this 
most  impressive  parable  have  often  been  needlessly  pressed.  It 
is  not  necessary  to  see  any  special  meaning  in  the  number  ten  or 
five,  nor  in  the  virgins  as  virgins.  It  is  just  an  illustration  drawn 
from  the  marriage  customs  of  the  time  to  set  forth  in  vivid  fash- 
ion the  peril  of  not  watching  and  being  ready  when  Jesus  comes. 

247 


MATTHEW 


3.  and  five  were  wise.     For  the  foolish,  when  they  took 

4.  their  lamps,  took  no  oil  with  them :  but  the  wise  took 

5.  oil  in  their  vessels  with  their  lamps.     Now  while  the 

6.  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  slumbered  and  slept.     But 
at  midnight  there  is  a  cry,  Behold,  the  bridegroom ! 

7.  Come  ye  forth  to  meet  him.     Then  all  those  virgins 

8.  arose,  and  trimmed  their  lamps.     And  the  foolish  said 
unto  the  wise,  Give  us  of  your  oil ;   for  our  lamps  are 

9.  going  out.     But  the  wise  answered,  saying,  Perad- 
venture  there  will  not  be  enough  for  us  and  you :  go  ye 

10.  rather  to  them  that  sell,  and  buy  for  yourselves.  And 
while  they  went  away  to  buy,  the  bridegroom  came  ; 
and  they  that  were  ready  went  in  with  him  to  the 

11.  marriage  feast:  and  the  door  was  shut.  Afterward 
come  also  the  other  virgins,  saying.  Lord,  Lord,  open 

12.  to  us.     But  he  answered  and  said.  Verily,  I  say  unto 

13.  you,  I  know  you  not.  Watch  therefore,  for  ye  know 
not  the  day  nor  the  hour. 

14.  For  it  is  as  when  a  man,  going  into  another  country, 
called  his  own  servants,  and  delivered  unto  them  his 

15.  goods.  And  unto  one  he  gave  five  talents,  to  another 
two,  to  another  one ;   to  each  according  to  his  several 

16.  ability ;  and  he  went  on  his  journey.     Straightway  he 

13.  Watch  therefore.     Jesus  himself  points  the  moral  of  the 
parable.    . 

14.  For  it  is  as  when  a  man.  The  third  parable  about  watch- 
fulness (25  :  14-31)  is  that  of  the  talents.  This  parable  is  similar 
in  some  respects  to  that  of  the  pounds  in  Lk.  19:  11-28,  but 
unlike  it  in  various  points.  The  parable  of  the  talents  has  three 
classes  instead  of  the  two  in  the  parable  of  the  ten  pounds.  The 
faithful  servants  here  fall  into  two  classes  (one  with  five  talents, 
one  with  two).  The  unfaithful  class  (one  talent)  is  not  sub- 
divided. This  parable  shows  that  there  is  work  to  do  while  we 
wait  for  the  Master  to  come  back.  The  thing  to  do  is  to  use  well  - 
the  gifts  at  one's  disposal. 

248 


MATTHEW 


that  received  the  five  talents  went  and  traded  with 

17.  them,  and  made  other  five  talents.    In  like  manner 

18.  he  also  that  received  the  two  gained  other  two.  But 
he  that  received  the  one  went  away  and  digged  in 

19.  the  earth,  and  hid  his  lord's  money.  Now  after  a 
long  time  the  lord  of   those  servants  cometh,  and 

20.  maketh  a  reckoning  with  them.  And  he  that  received 
the  five  talents  came  and  brought  other  five  talents, 
saying,  Lord,  thou  deliveredst  unto  me  five  talents : 

21.  lo,  I  have  gained  other  five  talents.  His  lord  said 
imto  him.  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant: 
thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will 
set  thee  over  many  things :  enter  thou  into  the  joy 

22.  of  thy  lord.  And  he  also  that  received  the  two 
talents  came  and  said.  Lord,  thou  deliveredst  imto  me 

23.  two  talents :  lo,  I  have  gained  other  two  talents.  His 
lord  said  unto  him.  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant ;  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will 
set  thee  over  many  things :  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 

24.  thy  lord.  And  he  also  that  had  received  the  one 
talent  came  and  said.  Lord,  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art 
a  hard  man,  reaping  where  thou  didst  not  sow,  and 

25.  gathering  where  thou  didst  not  scatter:  and  I  was 
afraid,  and  went  away  and  hid  thy  talent  in  the  earth : 

26.  lo,  thou  hast  thine  own.  But  his  lord  answered  and 
said  imto  him.  Thou  wicked  and  slothful  servant, 
thou  knewest  that  I  reap  where  I  sowed  not,  and 

27.  gather  where  I  did  not  scatter;  thou  oughtest  there- 
fore to  have  put  my  money  to  the  bankers,  and  at  my 
coming  I  should  have  received  back  mine  own  with 

28.  interest.    Take  ye  away  therefore  the  talent  from 

29.  him,  and  give  it  unto  him  that  hath  the  ten  talents. 
For  unto  every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given,  and  he 

249 


MATTHEW 


shall  have  abundance :   but  from  him  that  hath  not, 

30.  even  that  which  he  hath  shall  be  taken  away.  And 
cast  ye  out  the  unprofitable  servant  into  the  outer 
darkness :  there  shall  be  the  weeping  and  gnashing  of 
teeth. 

3.    The  Son  of  Man  as  Jitdge  of  all  the  Nations ^ 
25  : 31-46 

31.  But  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory, 
and  all  the  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  on  the 

32.  throne  of  his  glory :  and  before  him  shall  be  gathered 
all  the  nations :  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from 
another,  as  the  shepherd  separateth  the  sheep  from 

33.  the  goats:  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand, 

34.  but  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say 
imto  them  on  his  right  hand.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 

35.  the  foundation  of  the  world:  for  I  was  an  hungred, 
and  ye  gave  me  meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 

36.  drink :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in ;  naked, 
and  ye  clothed  me:   I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me: 


This  magnificent  climax  to  the  discourse  occurs  only  in  Matthew. 

31.  But  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory.  Jesus  now 
repeats  the  fact  with  a  description  of  the  judgment  scene. 

32.  The  sheep  from  the  goats.  Here  on  earth  the  sheep  and 
the  goats  mingle.  The  astonishing  thing  in  this  description  is 
that  the  sheep  seem  surprised  that  they  are  sheep  and  the  goats 
that  they  are  goats.  Jesus  does  not  mean,  of  course,  that  service 
to  the  needy  is  the  only  way  to  serve  him.  But  it  is  proof  of  the 
right  attitude  of  heart.  As  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  so  here 
character,  not  creed,  loving  service,  not  outward  religion,  is  the 
final  proof  demanded  by  Jesus.  The  new  heart  must  issue  in 
new  character. 

34.  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  the  eternal  fire.  It  is 
highly  figurative  language.  But  the  reality  of  hell  is  clearly 
taught  by  Jesus. 

250 


MATTHEW 


37.  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me.  Then  shall  the 
righteous  answer  him,  saying.  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee 
an  himgred,  and  fed  thee  ?  or  athirst,  and  gave  thee 

38.  drink  ?    And  when  saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took 

39.  thee  in  ?  or  naked,  and  clothed  thee  ?    And  when  saw 

40.  we  thee  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  came  unto  thee  ?  And 
the  King  shall  answer  and  say  unto  them,  Verily  I  say 
unto  you.  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these  my 

41.  brethren,  even  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  me.  Then 
shall  he  say  also  unto  them  on  the  left  hand.  Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  the  eternal  fire  which  is  pre- 

42 .  pared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels :  for  I  was  an  hungred, 
and  ye  gave  me  no  meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave 

43.  me  no  drink:  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  not 
in ;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  not ;  sick,  and  in  prison, 

44.  and  ye  visited  me  not.  Then  shall  they  also  answer, 
saying,  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  an  hungred,  or  athirst, 
or  a  stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did 

45.  not  minister  unto  thee  ?  Then  shall  he  answer  them, 
saying,  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it 
not  unto  one  of  these  least,  ye  did  it  not  unto  me. 

46.  And  these  shall  go  away  into  eternal  punishment: 
but  the  righteous  into  eternal  life. 


46.  Into  eternal  punishment.  The  same  word  "  eternal  " 
here  as  with  "  life  "  in  the  same  verse.  Eternal  punishment 
seems  clearly  taught  in  the  N.  T.  One  does  not  care  to  be  unduly- 
dogmatic  about  such  a  theme,  but  it  is  at  least  pertinent  to  ask  on 
what  ground  God  can  stop  the  punishment  in  the  future  if  the 
sinner  keeps  on  sinning?  If  men  will  not  repent  here,  will  they 
in  hell?  Into  eternal  Ufe.  The  contrast  to  eternal  punishment. 
The  life  is  as  eternal  as  the  punishment.  The  phrase  is  not  com- 
mon in  Matthew  and  is  all  the  more  impressive  as  the  close  of  this 
address.    John  uses  it  often. 


251 


X.  Victory  of  the  Enemies  of  Jesus,  26  and  27 

I.  Jesus  sets  a  Date  for  his  Deaths  26 :  i  f. 

26.       And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jesus  had  finished  all 

2.  these  words,  he  said  unto  his  disciples,  Ye  know  that 
after  two  days  the  passover  cometh,  and  the  Son  of 
man  is  delivered  up  to  be  crucified. 

2.    The  Sanhedrin  hold   an   Important  Meeting  to  dis- 
cuss the  Situation^  26 :  3-5 

3.  Then  were  gathered  together  the  chief  priests,  and 
the  elders  of  the  people,  unto  the  court  of  the  high 

4.  priest,  who  was  called  Caiaphas ;  and  they  took  coun- 
sel together  that  they  might  take  Jesus  by  subtilty, 

1.  When  Jesus  had  finished.  Probably  he  had  returned 
to  Bethany.  If  so,  it  was  our  Tuesday  evening  (beginning  of 
Wednesday  after  sunset  as  the  Jews  counted  time). 

2.  After  two  days.  The  betrayal  occurred  on  our  Thursday 
night  (Friday  night  as  the  Jews  counted,  night  and  day).  Lk. 
(22  :  i)  has  only  "  drew  nigh."  The  passover  cometh.  Mark 
(14:1)  has  "the  passover  and  the  unleavened  bread,"  while 
Luke  (22  :  i)  explains  that  the  unleavened  bread  is  the  passover. 
Technically  the  unleavened  bread  came  the  day  after  the  pass- 
over.  But  the  term  passover  was  used  either  for  the  passover 
meal  or  for  the  whole  period  of  eight  days  including  the  unleavened 
bread.  The  passover  was  on  the  14th,  the  unleavened  bread  on 
the  15-21. 

3.  Were  gathered  together.  Not  in  Mark  and  Luke,  but  im- 
plied in  what  they  say.  It  was,  according  to  Matthew,  a  formal 
meeting  after  the  raising  of  Lazarus  (Jn.  ii :  47  f.).  It  is  probably 
on  our  Tuesday  night  (beginning  of  the  Jewish  Wednesday). 
From  now  to  the  end  the  four  Gospels  run  more  or  less  parallel. 

4.  By  subtilty.  The  bold  defiance  of  the  Sanhedrin  (Jn.* 
II :  57)  has  disappeared. 

252 


MATTHEW 


5.  and  kill  him.    But  they  said,  Not  during  the  feast, 
lest  a  tumult  arise  among  the  people. 

3.  Honor  to  Jesus  in  Bethany,  26 : 6-13 

6.  Now  when  Jesus  was  in  Bethany,  in  the  house  of 

7.  Simon  the  leper,  there  came  unto  him  a  woman  having 
an  alabaster  cruse  of  exceeding  precious  ointment,  and 

8.  she  poured  it  upon  his  head,  as  he  sat  at  meat.    But 
when  the  disciples  saw  it,  they  had  indignation,  saying, 

9.  To  what  purpose  is  this  waste?    For  this  ointment 


5.  Lest  a  tumult  arise.  They  acknowledge  to  themselves 
their  defeat  and  the  power  of  Jesus  with  the  people. 

6.  In  Bethany.  John  (12:1  f.)  mentions  this  feast  given 
Jesus  when  he  gives  the  time  of  Christ's  coming  to  Bethany  from 
Jericho  six  days  before  the  passover,  Matthew  and  Mark  both 
give  it  on  the  evening  after  the  great  debate  in  the  temple,  our 
Tuesday  evening.  It  is  not  possible  to  tell  for  certain  which  date 
is  correct,  though  it  seems  probable  that  the  order  in  Matthew 
and  Mark  is  the  true  one.  John  probably  mentioned  it  when  he 
did  because  he  does  not  refer  to  Bethany  again.  Simon  the 
leper,  Luke  does  not  give  this  incident,  but  in  another  connec- 
tion he  gives  a  somewhat  similar  scene  in  the  house  of  Simon  the 
Pharisee  (Lk.  7:36-50).  The  name  Simon  is  too  common  to 
make  a  point  on  and  one  was  a  Pharisee,  the  other  a  leper.  There 
is  nothing  at  all  unlikely  in  the  repetition  of  the  anointing.  The 
circumstances  differ  very  radically. 

7.  A  woman.  John  (12  :  2)  gives  her  name,  Mary  the  sister  of 
Martha  and  Lazarus.  It  is  wholly  gratuitous  to  identify  Mary 
with  the  woman  that  was  a  sinner  in  Luke's  incident  and  then  to 
make  her  out  to  be  Mary  Magdalene.  Two  wrongs  are  thus  done. 
There  is  no  proof  that  Mary  Magdalene  was  a  sinful  woman,  and 
least  of  all  that  Mary  of  Bethany  was.  Legend  has  thus  wrongly 
slandered  two  noble  women.  The  wiping  of  Christ's  feet  with  the 
hair  (Lk.  7  :  38;  Jn.  12:3)  is  too  slender  a  ground  for  such  iden- 
tification. 

8.  They  had  indignation.  John  (12:4)  explains  that  Judas 
Iscariot  was  the  one  who  made  the  point.  The  others  acquiesced. 
John  also  adds  that  Judas  was  a  thief.  He  was  found  out  prob- 
ably after  this  event. 

253 


MATTHEW 


might  have  been  sold  for  much,  and  given  to  the  poor. 

10.  But  Jesus  perceiving  it  said  unto  them,  Why  trouble 
ye  the  woman?   for  she  hath  wrought  a  good  work 

11.  upon  me.     For  ye  have  the  poor  always  with  you; 

12.  but  me  ye  have  not  always.  For  in  that  she  poured 
this  ointment  upon  my  body,  she  did  it  to  prepare  me 

13.  for  burial.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Wheresoever  this 
gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world,  that  also 
which  this  woman  hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for 
a  memorial  of  her. 

4.  Desertion  of  Judas  to  the  Enemy,  26 :  14-16 

M   14.       Then  one  of  the  twelve,  who  was  called  Judas 

15.   Iscariot,  went  unto  the  chief  priests,  and  said.  What 

are  ye  willing  to  give  me,  and  I  will  deliver  him  unto 

9.  For  much.  John  mentions  three  hundred  pence.  Each 
penny  or  denarius  was  worth  seventeen  cents. 

10.  For.  Jesus  alone  recognized  the  service  Mary  had  uncon- 
sciously rendered. 

12.  To  prepare  me  for  burial.  The  disciples  could  not  under- 
stand the  words  of  Jesus  about  his  death,  but  Mary  had  come  to 
perceive  what  he  meant.  On  this  very  evening  he  had  spoken 
plainly  on  the  subject  (Matt.  26:  i  f.). 

13.  Shall  be  spoken.  Yet  Matthew  and  Mark  do  not  men- 
tion Mary's  name  here,  perhaps  because  she  was  still  alive. 

14.  Then.  Apparently  Judas  was  filled  with  resentment  be- 
cause of  the  public  rebuke  at  the  hands  of  Jesus.  He  seemingly 
left  one  meeting  for  the  other,  though  he  may  have  met  the  rulers 
next  day  (Wednesday).  This  was  not  the  only  motive  with  Ju- 
das. There  were  doubtless  many  things  that  converged  to  the 
one  point,  disappointment,  envy,  greed,  resentment,  ambition. 
Luke  does  not  give  the  account  of  the  feast,  but  he  notes  that  Satan 
at  this  juncture  entered  into  Judas  with  fresh  power  (22:3).  One 
of  the  twelve.  Noted  also  by  Mark  and  John  The  disgrace  of  that 
fact  remains  the  supreme  example  of  treachery.  The  specula- 
tive theological  question  of  the  amount  of  religion  that  Judas  had 
possessed  may  be  waived  with  the  note  in  Jn.  6 :  70  to  the  effect 
that  Jesus  called  him  a  devil. 

15.  What  are  ye  willing  to  give  me  ?    Matthew  alone  gives  this 

254 


MATTHEW 


you?    And  they  weighed  unto  him  thirty  pieces  of 
i6.  silver.    And  from  that  time  he  sought  opportunity 
to  deUver  him  unto  them. 

5.   Jesus  celebrates  the  Passover ^  26:17-25 

17.  Now  on  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread  the  dis-  M 
ciples  came  to  Jesus,  saying,  Where  wilt  thou  that  we 

18.  make  ready  for  thee  to  eat  the  passover?    And  he 

question  which  reveals  the  littleness  of  Judas.  He  offered  to  sell 
out.  Thirty  pieces  of  silver.  Matthew  likewise  alone  gives  this 
detail  (cf.  also  Matt.  27:9).  He  seems  to  bear  in  mind  Zech. 
II :  12  f.  This  was  the  ordinary  price  of  a  slave  and  may  explain 
the  offer  on  the  part  of  the  Sanhedrin.  Both  Mark  and  Luke  add 
that  they  were  "  glad  "  of  the  offer  of  Judas.  It  seemed  to  them 
like  a  dispensation  of  Providence,  these  pious  murderers ! 

16.  Sought  opportunity.  Luke  (22:6)  explains  more  exactly 
"  in  the  absence  of  the  multitude."  They  could  with  the  help  of 
Judas  proceed  with  their  plans  now  and  not  wait  till  after  the  pass- 
over  as  they  had  reluctantly  decided  to  do  (Matt.  26 :  5 ;  Mk. 
14 :  2).  Judas  knew  how  to  take  him  by  night  away  from  the  crowd. 

17.  On  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread.  Cf .  also  Mk.  14 :  12. 
If  this  term  is  meant  in  distinction  from  the  passover,  then  the 
order  is  wrong,  for  the  passover  meal  came  first  and  then  the  feast 
of  unleavened  bread.  But  it  is  creating  a  needless  difficulty  to 
interpret  the  language  thus.  The  feast  of  unleavened  bread  was 
often  used  for  the  whole  period  of  eight  days  (Josephus,  Ant.  II. 
15.  i).  In  one  instance  Josephus  {War  V.  3.  i)  makes  the  feast 
of  unleavened  bread  begin  on  the  fourteenth  of  Nisan  as  the 
Synoptics  do  here,  in  another  place  {Ant.  X.  3.  5)  he  has  it  start 
on  the  fifteenth.  Besides  both  Mark  and  Luke  explain  that  on 
this  first  day  of  unleavened  bread  the  passover  was  sacrificed. 
The  leavened  bread  was  removed  in  the  afternoon  of  the  four- 
teenth day  (Ex.  12  :  18)  and  unleavened  bread  used  with  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fifteenth  at  sunset  (Lev.  23  :  6).  The  paschal  lamb 
was  slain  •  between  the  evenings  (Ex.  12:  6),  i.e.  between  3  p.m. 
and  sundown.  The  lamb  was  eaten  after  the  fifteenth  day  began, 
after  sundown  (Ex.  12:8).  We  may  suppose  that  Jesus  spent 
Wednesday  in  Bethany  and  that  Thursday  (14th  Nisan)  about 
noon  the  disciples  make  inquiry  as  the  time  draws  near.  Eat  the 
passover.  So  Mark  (14  :  12)  and  Luke  (22  :  15)  represent  Jesus  as 
calling  this  the  regular  passover  meal.     The  matter  is  clear  from  the 

255 


MATTHEW 


said,  Go  into  the  city  to  such  a  man,  and  say  unto  him, 
The  Master  saith,  My  time  is  at  hand;  I  keep  the 
19.  passover  at  thy  house  with  my  disciples.  And  the 
disciples  did  as  Jesus  appointed  them;  and  they 
M  20.  made  ready  the  passover.  Now  when  even  was 
come,    he    was    sitting    at    meat    with    the   twelve 

21.  disciples;  and  as  they  were  eating,  he  said,  Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  that  one  of  you  shall  betray  me. 

22.  And  they  were  exceeding  sorrowful,  and  began  to  say 

23.  unto  him  every  one.  Is  it  I,  Lord  ?    And  he  answered 


point  of  view  of  the  Synoptics  that  Jesus  ate  the  regular  passover 
meal  after  sundown  at  the  beginning  of  Friday,  the  fifteenth  of 
Nisan.  Five  passages  in  John  (13  :  i  f. ;  13:27;  18:28;  19:14; 
19 :  31)  are  adduced  to  show  that  according  to  the  Fourth  Gospel 
Jesus  did  not  eat  the  regular  passover  meal,  but  a  meal  a  day 
ahead  at  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth  of  Nisan.  It  is  a  compli- 
cated controversy,  but  the  most  difficult  passage  is  Jn.  18 :  28, 
"  eat  the  passover  "  after  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  supper. 
In  the  Synoptics  the  usage  is  for  the  paschal  supper.  There  are 
eight  instances  of  "  passover  "  in  the  Gospel  of  John  and  they  all 
refer  to  the  paschal  feast  (feast  of  unleavened  bread).  In  2 
Chron.  30:  22  we  read,  "  And  they  did  eat  the  festival  seven 
days."  By  "  eat  the  passover  "  John  may  mean  "  keep  the  pas- 
chal feast."  The  other  passages  are  easy  of  solution.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  conclude  therefore  that  John's  Gospel  gives  a  diflfer- 
ent  time  for  the  eating  of  the  paschal  meal  by  Jesus. 

18.  Go  into  the  city.  Luke  (22:8)  gives  the  names  (Peter  and 
John).  To  such  a  man.  Jesus  probably  had  a  previous  arrange- 
ment. It  is  possible  that  this  man  was  the  husband  of  Mary  the 
mother  of  Mark,  in  whose  house  the  disciples  later  met  to  pray 
(Acts  12:  12).  If  so,  this  may  also  have  been  the  house  with 
the  upper  room  (i :  13)  of  Pentecost.  Then  Mark  may  have  been 
the  young  man  in  Mk.  14:51.  I  keep  the  passover.  Vivid 
present  like  a  future. 

20.  When  even  was  come.     The  "  second  evening  "  at  sunset. 

21.  One  of  you.  He  had  once  before  said  that  one  of  them 
was  a  devil  (Jn.  6:  70),  but  his  remark  made  no  such  sensation 
as  this  charge. 

22.  Is  it  I,  Lord?  Each  looks  within  to  see  if  he  is  a  possible 
traitor. 

256 


MATTHEW 


and  said,  He  that  dipped  his  hand  with  me  in  the 

24.  dish,  the  same  shall  betray  me.  The  Son  of  man  goeth, 
even  as  it  is  written  of  him :  but  woe  unto  that  man 
through  whom  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed!    good 

25.  were  it  for  that  man  if  he  had  not  been  born.    And  R 
Judas,  which  betrayed  him,  answered  and  said.  Is  it 

I,  Rabbi?    He  saith  unto  him,  Thou  hast  said. 

6.   The  Institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  26 :  26-30 

26.  And  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus  took  bread,  and  M 
blessed,  and  brake  it ;  and  he  gave  it  to  the  disciples, 

27.  and  said,  Take,  eat;  this  is  my  body.  And  he  took 
a  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and  gave  to  them,  saying, 

28.  Drink  ye  all  of  it ;  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the  covenant. 


23.  He  that  dipped.  For  a  partaker  in  a  common  meal  to  be 
hostile  violated  every  principle  of  oriental  civility.  The  phrase 
does  not  mean  necessarily  that  Judas  dipped  again  after  this. 
But,  as  several  dipped  in  the  same  dish  with  Jesus  (they  had  no 
spoons,  of  course),  it  was  not  possible  to  tell  by  this  indirect  sign. 

24.  The  Son  of  man  goeth.  To  his  death.  Even  as  it  is 
written  of  him.     In  the  Scriptures. 

25.  And  Judas.  Matthew  alone  mentions  that  Judas  hypo- 
critically asked  about  himself.  But  for  him  not  to  have  done  so 
would  be  to  attract  attention  to  himself.  Thou  hast  said.  Ex- 
pression of  practical  assent,  but  it  was  not  noticed  by  the  others. 

26.  As  they  were  eating.  Before  the  paschal  meal  was  over. 
Cf.  Lk.  22:17  f.  Take,  eat.  Mk.  (14:22)  has  "Take  ye." 
The  four  accounts  of  the  words  of  Jesus  here  vary  a  good  deal, 
though  Matthew  and  Mark  are  more  alike,  as  are  Luke's  and 
Paul's  accounts.  This  is  my  body.  The  bread  is  the  symbol  of 
the  body  of  Jesus  soon  to  be  given  as  a  sacrifice. 

28.  Drink  ye  all  of  it.  Not  in  Mk.  For.  Not  in  Mark,  who 
has  "  this  is  my  blood  of  the  covenant  which  is  shed  for  many.'* 
Luke  and  Paul  have  "  cup."  The  fruit  of  the  vine  is  the  symbol 
of  the  blood  of  Jesus.  One  may  suppose  with  Matthew  and  Mark 
that  Judas  has  already  gone,  though  Luke  does  not  make  that  point 
clear.  If  he  is  still  present,  it  would  be  an  added  load  upon  his 
conscience  to  be  taking  a  symbol  of  the  blood  that  he  was  about  to 
S  257 


MATTHEW 


29.  which  is  shed  for  many  unto  remission  of  sins.  But  I 
say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit 
of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  with 
you  in  my  Father's  kingdom. 

30.  And  when  they  had  sung  a  hymn,  they  went  out 
imto  the  mount  of  Olives. 

7.   The  Disciples  warned  by  Jesus,  26 :  31-35 

31.  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  them.  All  ye  shall  be  offended 
in  me  this  night:  for  it  is  written,  I  will  smite  the 
shepherd,  and  the  sheep  of  the  flock  shall  be  scattered 

32.  abroad.    But  after  I  am  raised  up,  I  will  go  before  you 


shed.  Unto  remission  of  sins.  Only  in  Matthew,  but  it  is  really 
involved  in  the  report  of  Mark.  The  blood  of  Jesus  is  shed  for 
many.  This  important  word  of  Jesus  concerning  his  death  needs 
to  be  compared  with  that  in  Matt.  20 :  28.  Christ  understands 
that  his  death  is  not  a  mere  example  for  others,  but  has  real  and 
vital  relation  to  the  redemption  of  men  from  sin. 

29.  In  my  Father's  kingdom.  The  Messianic  banquet  was  one 
of  the  favorite  pictures  of  the  bliss  of  heaven  when  the  kingdom 
is  consummated. 

30.  Hymji.  One  of  the  psalms,  like  115-118.  They  went  out. 
They  started  out. 

31.  Then.  Probably  before  they  left  the  upper  room,  after 
starting,  though  it  is  not  clear.  This  warning  may  have  taken 
place  on  the  way  to  the  garden.  One  must  recall  that  the  won- 
derful dialogue  and  prayer  in  Jn.  14-17  came  also  in  the  upper 
room  probably  just  after  the  institution  of  the  supper.  Cf. 
also  the  break  in  this  section  in  Jn.  14 :  31.  Offended  in  me  this 
night.  Made  to  stumble  in  me.  Jesus  had  already  said  that  one 
of  them  would  betray  him,  and  Judas  had  gone  on  that  diabolical 
mission.  Now  he  makes  a  prediction  about  the  cowardice  of  all  of 
them.     Note  "  all  ye."     It  is  written.     Cf.  Zech.  13  :  7. 

32.  After  I  am  raised  up.  So  Mk.  14:  32.  Another  predic- 
tion of  his  resurrection,  but  they  still  fail  to  comprehend.  I  will 
go  before  you  into  Galilee.  So  Mark  also.  This  message  will  be 
repeated  by  the  angels  (Matt.  28 :  7)  and  by  Jesus  himself.  It 
was  to  be  on  a  prearranged  mountain  (Matt.  28:  16),  but  this 
point  also  slips  from  their  minds. 

258 


MATTHEW 


33.  into  Galilee.  But  Peter  answered  and  said  unto  him, 
If  all  shall  be  offended  in  thee,  I  will  never  be  offended. 

34.  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  that  this 
night,  before  the  cock  crow,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice. 

35.  Peter  saith  unto  him.  Even  if  I  must  die  with  thee, 
yet  will  I  not  deny  thee.  Likewise  also  said  all  the 
disciples. 

8.   The  Struggle  in  the  Garden  and  the  Victory j  26 :  36-46 

36.  Then  cometh  Jesus  with  them  unto  a  place  called 
Gethsemane,  and  saith  unto  his  disciples.  Sit  ye  here, 

37.  while  I  go  yonder  and  pray.  And  he  took  with  him 
Peter  and  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  and  began  to  be 


2,2,'  But  Peter.  John  (13 :  36)  reports  Peter  as  inquisitive 
about  the  movements  of  Jesus  in  which  he  could  not  share 
(13  :  36  ff.)>  and  Luke  (22  :  31  f.)  mentions  the  special  prayer  that 
Jesus  offered  for  Peter.  I  will  never.  He  did  think  that  he  was 
more  loyal  than  the  rest.  Jesus  will  remind  him  of  this  boast 
after  his  resurrection  (Jn.  21 :  15). 

35.  Even  if  I  must  die.  He  was  ready  to  go  the  full  limit  of 
loyalty.  Likewise.  All  the  disciples  expressed  similar  loyalty 
to  Jesus,  cf.  Mk.  14:31.  But  they  will  be  scattered  like  sheep 
without  a  shepherd.  John  alone  will  really  show  fortitude,  John 
and  the  women. 

36.  Then.  The  time  is  probably  about  midnight.  Geth- 
semane. Oil-press,  the  word  means,  but  it  was  a  garden  also 
(Jn.  18  :  i).  It  was  in  the  valley  between  the  city  and  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  The  precise  spot  is  not  known.  Judas  knew  the  cus- 
tom of  Jesus  (Lk.  22  :  39)  and  so  was  able  to  take  advantage  of  his 
isolation  at  this  time  of  night.  While  I  go  yonder  and  pray.  He 
had  prayed  for  them  and  now  he  must  pray  for  himself  (cf.  Jn. 
17  :  1-5).  He  does  not  wish  to  be  interrupted  by  Judas  before  he 
is  ready.  He  must  talk  with  the  Father.  He  had  often  sought 
the  Father  in  prayer.  He  is  Christ's  only  refuge  now  as  the 
shadow  of  the  Cross  creeps  near. 

37.  Peter  and  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee.  As  on  the  Mount  of 
Transfiguration,  so  here  Jesus  selects  these  three  to  watch  while 
he  prayed.  The  experience  on  the  Mount  ought  to  help  them 
now  as  it  was  intended  to  do.     Jesus  has  just  foretold  Peter's 

2S9 


MATTHEW 


38.  sorrowful  and  sore  troubled.  Then  saith  he  unto 
them,  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death : 

39.  abide  ye  here,  and  watch  with  me.  And  he  went 
forward  a  little,  and  fell  on  his  face,  and  prayed,  saying, 
O  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  away 
from  me :  nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt. 

40.  And  he  cometh  unto  the  disciples,  and  findeth  them 
sleeping,  and  saith  unto  Peter,  What,  could  ye  not 

41.  watch  with  me  one  hour  ?  Watch  and  pray,  that  ye 
enter  not  into  temptation :  the  spirit  indeed  is  wiUing, 

42.  but  the  flesh  is  weak.  Again,  a  second  time  he  went 
away,  and  prayed,  saying,  O  my  Father,  if  this  cannot 

43.  pass  away,  except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done.  And 
he  came  again  and  found  them  sleeping,  for  their  eyes 

44.  were  heavy.    And  he  left  them  again,  and  went  away, 


denial  this  night,  but  none  the  less  he  chooses  him  now.  He  will 
give  Peter  his  opportunity.  Began  to  be  sorrowful.  Mark  (14 :  33) 
says  that  he  "  began  to  be  greatly  amazed."  Luke  (22  :  44)  calls  it 
"  an  agony."  The  Comforter  now  needs  to  be  comforted.  It  is 
pathetic  and  supremely  tragic  as  Jesus  turns  from  the  Father  to 
these  three  disciples  three  times.  He  seeks  both  divine  and 
human  aid  in  his  great  hour  of  trial.  The  Father  did  not  fail  him, 
though  the  disciples  did.  And  yet  in  one  sense  Jesus  had  to  drink 
his  cup  alone. 

38.  My  soul  is  exceedingly  sorrowful,  even  unto  death.  This 
much  he  confessed  to  the  three  uninterested  disciples.  Jesus 
asked  for  bread  and  received  a  stone. 

39.  Nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt.  The  resig- 
nation is  the  victory.  He  did  cry  out  against  the  cup  that  he  had 
to  drink.  Surely  it  is  not  strange  that  the  strong  Son  of  God 
should  have  so  felt  the  burden  of  the  sin  of  the  world  upon  his 
soul  as  he  entered  the  dark  gloom  of  the  cross.  It  was  no  mere 
outcry  against  death.  Cf.  Heb.  5  :  7-9.  But  Jesus  won  the  vic- 
tory over  himself  in  submission  to  the  Father's  will. 

41.  Watch  and  pray.  In  the  very  thick  of  his  own  temptation 
Jesus  remembers  the  disciples.  Jesus  knows  by  experience  what 
temptation  really  is  (Heb.  2  :  17  f.).  Even  now  he  is  warning  the 
disciples  against  the  temptation  just  before  them. 

260 


MATTHEW 


and  prayed  a  third  time,  saying  again  the  same  words. 

45.  Then  cometh  he  to  the  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them, 
Sleep  on  now,  and  take  your  rest :  behold,  the  hour  is 
at  hand,  and  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  unto  the 

46.  hands  of  sinners.  Arise,  let  us  be  going :  behold,  he 
is  at  hand  that  betrayeth  me. 

9.   The  Betrayal  by  JiidaSj  26 :  47-56 

47.  And  while  he  yet  spake,  lo,  Judas,  one  of  the  twelve, 
came,  and  with  him  a  great  multitude  with  swords 
and  staves,  from  the  chief  priests  and  elders   of  the 

48.  people.  Now  he  that  betrayed  him  gave  them  a  sign, 
saying,  Whomsoever  I  shall  kiss,  that  is  he :  take  him. 


44.  The  same  words.  Three  times.  Like  sea  billows  the 
temptation  came  over  him  three  times,  but  he  stood  his  ground 
and  won  the  day.  Cf.  the  three  temptations  of  the  devil  in  the 
wilderness.  Luke  in  a  disputed  passage  (22  :  43  f.)  adds  that  an 
angel  helped  Jesus  before  it  was  all  over,  when  his  sweat  like  drops 
of  blood  fell  to  the  ground.  The  disciples  had  given  him  no  con- 
solation at  all,  but  were  asleep  each  time.  Luke  (22  :  45)  explains 
that  they  were  "  sleeping  for  sorrow."  Stunned  and  dazed  by  all 
that  they  had  heard,  they  gave  up  hopelessly. 

45.  Sleep  on  now.  He  no  longer  needed  their  sympathy.  He 
was  victorious  without  them. 

46.  Arise,  let  us  be  going.  Kaleidoscopic  change.  Jesus  is 
ready  for  action  and  it  is  none  too  soon.  He  must  meet  the 
traitor.     Judas  knew  the  place  (Jn.  18  :  2). 

47.  WWle  he  yet  spake.  So  also  Luke  and  Mark.  One  of  the 
twelve.  Mournful  repetition  of  that  sad  fact.  Cf .  Mark  and  Luke. 
A  great  multitude.  For  fear  that  Jesus  might  find  sympathizers. 
They  were  ready  for  emergencies.  John  (18  :  3)  adds  that  they  had 
"  lanterns  and  torches."  It  was  full  moon,  but  they  wished  to  be 
able  to  look  into  all  the  dark  corners.  From  the  chief  priests. 
So  all  the  Gospels.  It  was  official.  John  (18:3)  explains  that  there 
was  a  band  of  soldiers  and  officers  along  also.  He  tells  also  the 
challenge  of  Jesus  and  how  they  all  went  back  and  fell  to  the 
ground  under  the  power  of  Christ's  presence  (18:4-9). 

48.  A  sign.  Judas  prostituted  the  kiss  to  his  devilish  plan. 
Luke  (22  :  48)  represents  Jesus  as  astonished  at  this  depth  of  de- 

261 


MATTHEW 


49.  And  straightway  he  came  to  Jesus,  and  said,  Hail, 

50.  Rabbi;  and  kissed  him.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Friend,  do  that  for  which  thou  art  come.    Then  they 

51.  came  and  laid  hands  on  Jesus,  and  took  him.  And 
behold,  one  of  them  that  were  with  Jesus  stretched 
out  his  hand,  and  drew  his  sword,  and  smote  the  ser- 

R  52.  vant  of  the  high  priest,  and  struck  off  his  ear.  Then 
saith  Jesus  unto  him.  Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  its 
place:   for  all  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish 

53.  with  the  sword.  Or  thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot  be- 
seech my  Father,  and  he  shall  even  now  send  me  more 

54.  than  twelve  legions  of  angels  ?    How  then  should  the 
M  55.   scriptures  be  fulfilled,  that  thus  it  must  be  ?    In  that 


pravity.     It  was  ingratitude,  besides,  and  sharper  than  a  serpent's 
tooth. 

50.  Friend,  do  that  for  which  thou  art  come.  The  passage  is 
ambiguous,  but  on  the  whole  this  will  answer  as  a  translation. 
But  Jesus  means  Judas  to  understand  that  he  makes  a  voluntary 
surrender. 

5 1 .  Struck  off  his  ear.  John  (18:  10)  explains  that  it  was  Peter. 
The  Synoptics  evidently  did  not  care  to  tell  it.  But  John  wrote 
long  after  Peter's  death,  Peter  had  one  of  the  two  swords  or 
knives  (Lk.  22  :  38)  which  the  disciples  had  with  them.  He  was 
trying  to  cut  the  man's  head  off.  Probably  the  man  dodged  his 
head  and  Peter  cut  off  his  right  ear  (Lk.  22  :  50).  John  adds  also 
that  this  servant  of  the  high  priest  was  named  Malchus.  Peter 
had  lifted  his  hand  against  the  officers  of  the  law  and  had  come 
near  killing  the  man.  He  was  in  dire  peril  if  he  had  been  dis- 
covered. 

52.  Put  up  again  thy  sword.  This  rebuke  took  the  heart  out 
of  Peter.  Jesus  not  only  surrendered  himself,  but  would  not 
allow  the  disciples  to  make  any  defence.  They  were  in  imminent 
peril  for  their  own  lives.  Jesus  had  made  a  plea  in  behalf  of  them 
(Jn.  18  :  8),  but  the  disciples  did  not  feel  secure. 

53.  More  than  twelve  legions  of  angels.  One  legion  for  each 
of  them  and  more.  Jesus  asserts  his  power  to  prove  the  voluntary 
character  of  his  surrender. 

54.  The  scriptures  be  fulfilled.  The  words  of  Jesus.  But  he 
had  no  mock-heroic  feeling. 

262 


MATTHEW 


hour  said  Jesus  to  the  multitudes,  Are  ye  come  out  as 
against  a  robber  with  swords  and  staves  to  seize  me  ? 
I  sat  daily  in  the  temple  teaching,  and  ye  took  me  not. 

56.  But  all  this  is  come  to  pass,  that  the  scriptures  of  the 
prophets  might  be  fulfilled.  Then  all  the  disciples 
left  him,  and  fled. 

10.  Jesus  before  the  Sanhedrin,  26 :  57-68 

57.  And  they  that  had  taken  Jesus  led  him  away  to  the  M 
house  of  Caiaphas  the  high  priest,  where  the  scribes 

58.  and  the  elders  were  gathered  together.  But  Peter 
followed  him  afar  off,  unto  the  court  of  the  high  priest, 
and  entered  in,  and  sat  with  the  oflScers,  to  see  the  end. 

59.  Now  the  chief  priests  and  the  whole  council  sought 
false  witness  against  Jesus,  that  they  might  put  him 

55.  Teaching.     He  alludes  to  his  triumphs  in  the  temple. 

56.  That  the  scriptures.  Either  the  words  of  Jesus  or  of  the 
evangelist.  Then  all  the  disciples  left  him,  and  fled.  They  had 
all  protested  that  they  would  not.  But  this  was  the  hour  and  the 
power  of  darkness  (Lk.  22:  53).  They  had  not  looked  for  such 
an  outcome.     They  must  take  care  of  themselves. 

57.  Led  him  away  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas.  Only  John 
(18:  12-14,  19-23)  tells  of  the  informal  questioning  by  Annas, 
the  ex-high  priest  and  father-in-law  of  Caiaphas.  He  probably 
lived  with  Caiaphas.  Both  Matthew  and  Mark  give  the  two  ap- 
pearances of  Jesus  before  Caiaphas  and  the  Sanhedrin,  one  at  night 
and  illegal,  the  other  for  ratification  after  dawn.  Luke  gives 
details  only  of  the  second  (22:  66-71).  There  were  thus  three 
stages  of  the  Jewish  trial  as  in  the  Roman  trial.  Where  the 
scribes.  Mark  (14 :  53)  states  that  it  was  a  full  meeting.  Note 
"  all."  But  Joseph  of  Arimathea  and  Nicodemus  were  appar- 
ently absent. 

58.  Peter  followed  him  afar  off.  He  rallied  after  his  flight. 
Unto  the  court.  John  (Jn.  18 :  15)  had  gone  on  into  the  room  with 
Jesus,  but  Peter  stopped  in  the  outer  court.  The  other  disciples 
had  fled  in  terror  and  despair.  To  see  the  end.  Peter  still  had 
real  interest  in  Jesus,  though  greatly  frightened. 

59.  Sought  false  witness  against  Jesus.     Two  violations  of 

263 


MATTHEW 


60.  to  death;   and  they  found  it  not,  though  many  false 

61.  witnesses  came.  But  afterward  came  two,  and  said, 
This  man  said,  I  am  able  to  destroy  the  temple  of  God, 

62.  and  to  build  it  in  three  days.  And  the  high  priest 
stood  up,  and  said  unto  him,  Answerest  thou  nothing  ? 

63.  what  is  it  which  these  witness  against  thee?  But 
Jesus  held  his  peace.  And  the  high  priest  said  imto 
him,  I  adjure  thee  by  the  living  God,  that  thou  tell  us 

64.  whether  thou  be  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  Jesus 
saith  imto  him.  Thou  hast  said:  nevertheless  I  say 
unto  you,  Henceforth  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man 
sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  on  the 

65.  clouds  of  heaven.  Then  the  high  priest  rent  his  gar- 
ments, saying,  He  hath  spoken  blasphemy:  what 
further  need  have  we  of  witnesses?   behold,  now  ye 

law.  The  judges  were  not  to  be  prosecutors  nor  were  they  to  have 
false  witness  at  all.  This  whole  procedure  before  the  Sanhedrin 
bristles  with  illegalities  and  shows  the  desperate  hate  of  the  San- 
hedrin.    They  will  now  stop  at  nothing  to  gain  their  end. 

60.  Came  two.  Cf.  Deut.  19  :  15.  They  had  to  have  two  and 
they  disagreed.  They  give  a  distorted  report  of  what  Jesus  had 
said  (Jn.  2  :  19). 

63.  Jesus  held  his  peace.  As  more  dignified.  Besides,  there 
was  as  yet  nothing  to  answer. 

63.  I  adjure  thee.  The  high  priest  put  Christ  on  oath.  The 
Christ  the  Son  of  God.  Equivalent  expressions.  Jesus  did  not 
have  to  incriminate  himself.  But  under  the  circumstances  si- 
lence would  be  denial  of  his  claims.  Up  till  now  Jesus  had  refused 
to  make  public  avowal  in  words  that  he  was  the  Messiah.^  But 
he  will  refuse  no  longer,  well  knowing  what  the  issue  will  be. 
Note  also  that  Jesus  answers  under  a  solemn  oath  in  court. 

64.  Thou  hast  said.  An  admission  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God. 
Plainer  in  Mark  (14  :  62),  "  I  am."  Henceforth.  Jesus  adds  to  his 
confession  words  likely  to  exasperate  the  high  priest  still  more. 
He  will  come  as  Judge  over  these  very  men  who  now  condemn  him. 
The  language  is  apocalyptic. 

65.  Blasphemy.  It  was  not  blasphemy  to  claim  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah if  he  was  the  Messiah.  But  this,  of  course,  the  Sanhedrin 
denied. 

264 


MATTHEW 


66.  have  heard  the  blasphemy:    what  think  ye?    They 

67.  answered  and  said,  He  is  worthy  of  death.    Then  did 
they  spit  in  his  face  and  buffet  him :  and  some  smote 

68.  him  with  the  palms  of  their  hands,  saying,  Prophesy 
unto  us,  thou  Christ :  who  is  he  that  struck  thee  ? 

II.   The  Conduct  of  Peter,  26:69-75 

69.  Now  Peter  was  sitting  without  in  the  court :  and  a  M 
maid  came  imto  him,  saying.  Thou  also  wast  with 

70.  Jesus  the  Galilaean.     But  he  denied  before  them  all, 

71.  saying,  I  know  not  what  thou  sayest.     And  when  he 
was  gone  out  into  the  porch,  another  maid  saw  him, 


66.  What  think  ye  ?  The  vote  was  asked.  Worthy  of  death. 
At  this  time  the  Sanhedrin  did  not  have  the  power  of  death  (Jn. 
18:  31).  They  could,  however,  pass  sentence  of  death  and  then 
see  that  the  Roman  court  reached  the  same  decision.  Thus  the 
death  penalty  would  be  enacted,  in  cases  like  this  of  Jesus.  But 
they  will  tell  Pilate  nothing  of  their  previous  condemnation  of 
Jesus.  The  Sanhedrin  was  an  old  and  honorable  (in  the  main) 
court  of  justice.  Its  origin  is  obscure,  but  it  was  composed  of 
chief  priests,  scribes,  and  elders.  The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
were  both  represented  on  it.  But  in  the  present  trial  it  lost  all 
sense  of  justice  and  gave  way  to  resentment  and  spleen. 

67.  They  spit  in  his  face.  At  last  they  have  their  enemy  in 
their  power  and  they  lose  all  self-control.  It  is  a  supremely 
humiliating  spectacle. 

69.  Without  in  the  court.  The  four  Gospels  all  give  three  de- 
nials by  Peter,  but  not  in  the  same  order.  They  differ  also  as  to 
the  persons  questioning  Peter,  whether  man  or  maid  or  one  or 
more.  Probably  each  time  several  joined  in.  We  do  not  know 
the  precise  relation  of  the  denials  to  the  different  stages  of  the  trial 
of  Jesus.  They  were  probably  over  before  Jesus  was  led  to  Pilate. 
The  order  of  Matthew  will  do  as  well  as  that  of  John.  Peter  is  by 
the  brazier  in  the  open  court.  Thou  also.  The  "  also  "  suggests 
that  the  talk  was  about  Jesus.  Peter  had  not  escaped  notice. 
The  fire  gave  light  (Lk.  22  :  56)  as  well  as  heat. 

70.  Denied  before  them  all.  He  had  been  trying  to  hide  and 
was  caught  suddenly. 

71.  Into  the  porch.     By  the  entrance.    This  man  also.     As 

265 


MATTHEW 


and  saith  unto  them  that  were  there,  This  man  also  was 

72.  with  Jesus  the  Nazarene.    And  again  he  denied  with 

73.  an  oath,  I  know  not  the  man.  And  after  a  little  while 
they  that  stood  by  came  and  said  to  Peter,  Of  a  truth 
thou  also  art  one  of  them ;  for  thy  speech  bewrayeth 

74.  thee.    Then  began  he  to  curse  and  to  swear,  I  know 

75.  not  the  man.  And  straightway  the  cock  crew.  And 
Peter  remembered  the  word  which  Jesus  had  said, 
Before  the  cock  crow,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice.  And 
he  went  out,  and  wept  bitterly. 

12.   The  Final  Vote  of  the  Sanhedrin,  27:  i  f. 

27.       Now  when  morning  was  come,  all  the  chief  priests 

and  the  elders  of  the  people  took  counsel  against  Jesus 

2.   to  put  him  to  death:   and  they  bound  him,  and  led 

him  away,  and  delivered  him  up  to  Pilate  the  governor. 

before.     Perhaps  they  had  commented  on  John  as  he  passed  in 
with  Jesus. 

73.  After  a  little  while.  An  hour  (Lk.  22:  59).  Thou  also. 
As  before.  John  (18:  26)  adds  significantly  that  a  kinsman  of 
Malchus  asked  if  he  had  not  seen  Peter  in  the  garden  with  Jesus. 
He  seemed  to  be  caught  in  a  trap. 

74.  To  curse.  It  may  have  been  the  return  of  an  old  sinful 
.habit,  but  none  the  less  distressing. 

75.  Peter  remembered.  Luke  adds  (22:61)  the  look  of 
Jesus.  He  went  out  and  wept  bitterly.  It  was  all  that  he  could 
do  now.     But  who  of  us  is  able  to  cast  a  stone  at  Simon  Peter? 

1.  When  morning  was  come.  So  Mark  15:1.  Luke  (22:  66), 
more  exactly,  "  as  soon  as  it  was  day."  The  Synoptics  all  men- 
tion this  ratification  meeting  of  the  Sanhedrin.  They  probably 
waited  at  the  house  of  Caiaphas  and  then  reassembled  to  keep 
within  the  letter  of  the  law.  The  night  meeting  was  illegal.  To 
put  him  to  death.  Only  the  Romans  now  had  that  power,  but 
probably  the  Sanhedrin  did  not  wish  to  surrender  their  formal 
claim  in  the  matter. 

2.  They  bound  him.  He  was  bound  on  his  arrest  (Jn.  18 :  12) 
and  was  still  bound  when  Annas  sent  him  to  Caiaphas  (18:  24). 
Perhaps  while  on  trial  before  the  Sanhedrin  Jesus  had  been  freed 

266 


MATTHEW 


13.  Remorse  and  Suicide  of  Judas,  27 : 3-10 

3.  Then  Judas,  which  betrayed  him,  when  he  saw  that 
he  was  condemned,  repented  himself,  and  brought 
back  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver  to  the  chief  priests  and 

4.  elders,  saying,  I  have  sinned  in  that  I  betrayed  inno- 
cent blood.     But  they  said.  What  is  that  to  us?  see 

5.  thou  to  it.  And  he  cast  down  the  pieces  of  silver  into 
the  sanctuary,  and  departed ;  and  he  went  away  and 

6.  hanged  himself.    And  the  chief  priests  took  the  pieces 


from  the  bonds.  Pilate  the  governor.  Procurator  was  the 
technical  title.  It  was  still  early  (Jn.  18:28).  Indeed,  it  was 
only  six  o'clock  (Roman  time,  Jn.  19  :  14)  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  trial  before  Pilate.  The  Sanhedrin  were  in  the  utmost  haste 
to  have  Jesus  convicted  before  the  Galilean  multitudes,  who 
largely  sympathized  with  him,  entered  the  city  from  the  surround- 
ing hills.  When  Jesus  is  a  condemned  criminal  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  crowd  (cf.  the  Triumphal  Entry  and  the  debate  in  the  temple) 
will  die  away.  The  case  has  to  be  taken  to  Pilate.  It  will  be 
noted  that  the  charge  there  is  a  political  paraphrase  of  the  admis- 
sion of  Jesus  that  he  is  the  Christ.  To  Pilate  that  could  only  ap- 
pear to  be  an  equivalent  of  rebel.  Before  the  Sanhedrin  there 
were  no  real  charges,  though  blasphemy  was  finally  presented  as  a 
result  of  Christ's  own  words.  The  character  of  Pilate  is  painted 
in  dark  colors  by  Josephus.  The  Gospels  have  no  denunciation 
of  him. 

3.  When  he  saw.  He  may  have  actually  seen  the  procession 
on  the  way  to  the  palace  (prsetorium)  of  Pilate.  Repented  him- 
self. This  Gk.  word  {metamelomai)  means  merely  to  be  sorry. 
It  is  here  really  remorse.  The  confession  of  Judas  throws  some 
light  on  his  motives.  He  knew  all  the  time  that  Jesus  was  inno- 
cent. But  the  very  nobility  of  Jesus  was  probably  one  of  the 
things  that  finally  angered  him.  It  is  not  godly  repentance  in 
Judas.  In  the  opinion  of  the  early  church  he  died  unsaved  (Acts 
1 :  25).  But  one  is  glad  of  this  evidence  that  his  conscience  smote 
him.     Matthew  alone  has  it. 

4.  What  is  that  to  us  ?  See  thou  to  it.  The  remorse  of  Judas 
angered  the  Sanhedrin  greatly,  for  it  reflected  on  their  conduct. 
They  were  parties  to  the  infamous  bargain.  They  assume  an  at- 
titude of  pious  innocence  and  throw  the  whole  blame  on  Judas. 

5.  Hanged  himself.     The  conduct  of  the  Sanhedrin  had  de- 

267 


MATTHEW 


of  silver,  and  said,  It  is  not  lawful  to  put  them  into  the 

7.  treasury,  since  it  is  the  price  of  blood.  And  they  took 
counsel,  and  bought  with  them  the  potter's  field,  to 

8.  bury  strangers  in.    Wherefore  that  field  was  called, 

9.  The  field  of  blood,  imto  this  day.  Then  was  fulfilled 
that  which  was  spoken  by  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  say- 
ing. And  they  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price 
of  him  that  was  priced,  whom  certain  of  the  children 

10.  of  Israel  did  price;  and  they  gave  them  for  the  potter's 
field,  as  the  Lord  appointed  me. 

14.   Trial  of  Jesus  by  Pilate,  27;ii-3i 

11.  Now  Jesus  stood  before  the  governor :  and  the  gov- 
ernor asked  him,  saying,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the 

pressed  Judas  still  more.  The  account  in  Acts  i :  18  f.  is  quite 
independent  and  varies  in  several  details.  Luke  says  that  "  falling 
headlong,  he  burst  asunder  in  the  midst."  This  is,  of  course,  not 
necessarily  inconsistent  with  the  narrative  in  Matthew,  but  prob- 
ably is  another  tradition.  The  rope  may  have  broken  with  which 
he  hanged  himself, 

6.  Treasury.  Gk.  ^'corbanas,^'  an  Aramaic  word.  Strictly, 
the  money  hoarded  in  the  treasury  (Josephus,  War,  II.  9.  4). 

7.  Bought.     Acts  has  "  obtained,"  a  general  expression. 

8.  Wherefore.  Because  of  the  purchase  money.  In  Acts  the 
reason  for  the  name  (Akeldama)  is  given  as  the  spilling  of  Judas's 
blood  there.     Both  are  possible  reasons. 

9.  Then  was  fulfilled.  Note  the  terms,  not  "  that  it  might 
be."  By  Jeremiah.  In  Jer.  18:  2  (potter)  and  36:  37-39  LXX 
text  (purchase  of  a  field),  we  have  items  similar  to  what  is  here 
quoted,  but  the  language  is  more  like  Zech.  11:13.  Various 
theories  are  advanced  about  the  matter,  such,  as  addition  of  a 
copyist,  slip  of  the  editor  or  the  source  used  by  him,  using  the  name 
of  the  prominent  prophet,  etc.  But  we  really  have  no  means  of 
knowing  the  origin  of  the  reading. 

II.  Stood  before  the  governor.  The  Jews  stood  outside  of 
Pilate's  palace  (Jn.  18:  28  f.).  They  would  not  enter  a  gentile 
house.  So  Pilate  went  out  to  them.  But  Pilate  took  Jesus  back 
into  the  palace  before  he  asked  him  this  question  (Jn.  18  :  33).  Art 
thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?    Matthew  gives  no  explanation  of  the 

268 


MATTHEW 


12.  Jews?    And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  sayest.    And 
when  he  was  accused  by  the  chief  priests  and  elders, 

13.  he  answered  nothing.    Then  saith  Pilate  unto  him, 
Hearest  thou  not  how  many  things  they  witness  against 

14.  thee  ?    And  he  gave  him  no  answer,  not  even  to  one 
word :  insomuch  that  the  governor  marvelled  greatly. 


ground  for  this  query.  Luke  (23  :  2)  furnishes  the  fresh  accusations 
against  Jesus  (perverting  the  nation,  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to 
Caesar,  calling  himself  Christ,  a  King).  They  evidently  have  the 
charges  prearranged.  The  first  one  is  too  vague  for  Pilate  to 
notice.  The  second  is  just  what  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians 
had  tried  to  make  Jesus  say  (22:  15-22)  and  is  a  flat  untruth. 
The  third  is  a  shameful  double  entendre  by  translating  "  Christ  '* 
into  "  King  of  the  Jews,"  which  is  true  in  the  Messianic  sense  only. 
They  mean  for  Pilate  to  put  a  political  meaning  on  the  phrase. 
This  charge  is  a  further  disgrace,  since  the  refusal  of  Jesus  to  be  a 
political  Messiah  is  one  of  their  main  objections  to  him.  They 
did  not  wish  a  merely  "  spiritual  "  Messiah.  Pilate  is  not  im- 
pressed by  the  charges.  He  sees  from  the  looks  of  Jesus  that  he  is 
not  a  dangerous  man.  So  Pilate  suggests  that  the  Jews  take 
Jesus  and  try  him  themselves,  but  they  do  not  hint  that  they 
had  already  done  that.  They  retort  that  they  do  not  have  the 
power  of  death  (Jn.  18  :  31).  But  all  this  took  place  before  Pilate 
had  taken  Jesus  back  into  the  private  examination.  Since  he  had 
to  take  hold  of  the  case,  the  charge  about  being  king  of  the  Jews 
was  the  only  one  of  a  serious  nature.  If  true,  he  would  be  a  rival 
of  Caesar. 

■  12.  Thou  sayest.  A  modified  admission.  John  (18:34-38) 
tells  how  Jesus  explained  to  Pilate  that  he  was  not  a  political  king. 
Hence  Pilate  finds,  as  he  suspected,  that  he  is  not  guilty  of  any 
crime  against  Caesar.  So  he  comes  out  and  pronounces  Jesus  in- 
nocent (Lk.  23  :  4 ;  Jn.  18  :  38).  By  the  chief  priests  and  elders. 
They  renew  their  accusations  after  Pilate's  decision  and  add  other 
general  charges,  stressing  especially  the  first  charge  of  sedition 
(Lk.  23:  5). 

13.  Hearest  thou  not.  Pilate  is  somewhat  impressed  by  the 
clamor  and  the  silence  of  Jesus  in  public.  Jesus  had  talked  to  him 
in  private.  He  is  greatly  puzzled  and  is  glad  of  the  mention  of 
Galilee  so  that  he  can  send  this  troublesome  prisoner  to  Herod 
Antipas,  who  happens  to  be  in  Jerusalem  at  the  feast  (Lk.  23  :  5-12). 
Matthew  passes  by  the  appearance  of  Jesus  before  Herod  as  it  was 
wholly  ineffective. 

269 


MATTHEW 


15.  Now  at  the  feast  the  governor  was  wont  to  release  unto 

16.  the  multitude  one  prisoner,  whom  they  would.  And 
they  had  then  a  notable  prisoner,  called  Barabbas. 

17.  When  therefore  they  were  gathered  together,  Pilate 
said  unto  them.  Whom  will  ye  that  I  release  unto  you  ? 

18.  Barabbas,  or  Jesus  which  is  called  Christ?    For  he 

19.  knew  that  for  envy  they  had  delivered  him  up.  And 
while  he  was  sitting  on  the  judgement-seat,  his  wife 
sent  unto  him,  saying.  Have  thou  nothing  to  do  with 
that  righteous  man :  for  I  have  suffered  many  things 

20.  this  day  in  a  dream  because  of  him.  Now  the  chief 
priests  and  the  elders  persuaded  the  multitudes  that 

21.  they  should  ask  for  Barabbas,  and  destroy  Jesus.  But 
the  governor  answered  and  said  unto  them.  Whether 
of  the  twain  will  ye  that  I  release  unto  you?    And 

15.  Wont  to  release.  The  custom  is  only  mentioned  in  the 
Gospels.  Pilate  calls  it  their  custom  (Jn.  18:39).  The  people 
at  this  juncture   claimed    that  this  custom  must  be  observed 

(Mk.i5:7). 

17.  Therefore.  Pilate  saw  a  chance  to  get  rid  of  the  whole 
matter  by  releasing  Jesus  at  the  request  of  the  crowd.  He  had 
seen  the  falsity  of  the  charges  against  Jesus  and  the  envy  of  the 
rulers  (Mk  15  :  10;  Matt.  27  :  10).  Barabbas  or  Jesus  which  is 
called  Christ?  Some  of  the  documents  add  Jesus  before  Barab- 
bas. If  that  is  the  true  text,  the  question  was :  "  Jesus  Barabbas 
or  Jesus  which  is  called  Christ?  "  At  any  rate  the  two  are  pitted 
against  one  another,  a  highway  robber  or  the  Jewish  Messiah. 
Probably  Barabbas  would  have  been  crucified  between  the  two 
robbers  between  whom  Jesus  hung,  so  that  literally  Jesus  took  the 
place  of  Barabbas. 

19.  His  wife  sent  unto  him.  Only  in  Matthew.  Pilate  was 
naturally  superstitious  and  was  now  all  the  more  anxious  to  re- 
lease Jesus. 

20.  Persuaded  the  multitudes.  Mark  (15  :  11)  has  it  "  stirred 
up  the  multitude."  The  rulers  were  afraid  that  Jesus  would  be 
asked  for.  Pilate  doubtless  saw  all  this  going  on,  but  could  not 
help  it.  And  destroy  Jesus.  The  two  things  went  together,  life 
for  Barabbas  and  death  for  Jesus. 

21.  Barabbas.     When  Pilate  pressed  for  an  answer,  he  got  the 

270 


MATTHEW 


22.  they  said,  Barabbas.  Pilate  saith  unto  them,  What 
then  shall  I  do  unto  Jesus  which  is  called  Christ? 

23.  They  all  say,  Let  him  be  crucified.  And  he  said,  Why, 
what  evil  hath  he  done?    But  they  cried  out  ex- 

24.  ceedingly,  saying.  Let  him  be  crucified.  So  when 
Pilate  saw  that  he  prevailed  nothing,  but  rather  that 
a  tumult  was  arising,  he  took  water,  and  washed  his 
hands  before  the  multitude,  saying,  I  am  innocent  of 

25.  the  blood  of  this  righteous  man :  see  ye  to  it.    And  all 

unanimous  denunciation  of  Jesus  and  the  choice  of  Barabbas 
(Lk.  23 :  18).  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  few  of  the  friends  of 
Jesus  who  had  been  in  the  Triumphal  Entry  were  probably  on 
hand  this  early  in  the  morning.  The  matter  had  been  rushed 
through  to  prevent  that  possibility.  And  some  people  are  always 
ready  to  go  with  the  crowd. 

22.  What  then  shall  I  do  unto  Jesus  which  is  called  Christ? 
John  (19  :  1-5)  relates  how  Pilate  took  Jesus  again  into  the  palace, 
had  him  scourged  and  a  crown  of  thorns  placed  on  his  brow  and  a 
purple  robe  upon  him  as  a  mock  King.  He  then  brought  him  out 
again  and  said :  "  Behold  the  Man !  "  He  thought  that  he  could 
put  some  humor  into  the  situation.  But  it  did  not  work.  The 
people  had  made  up  their  minds.  They  all  say,  Let  him  be 
crucified.  This  is  Friday  morning.  It  was  only  on  Sunday 
morning  that  the  crowds  had  hailed  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  David ! 
Pilate  had  observed  the  custom  of  the  Jews  in  releasing  Barabbas, 
but  they  had  no  right  to  call  for  the  death  of  Jesus.  That  was 
Pilate's  responsibihty.  It  is  mere  evasion  for  him  to  seek  to  shift 
it  upon  the  people. 

23.  Why,  what  evil  hath  he  done?  Pilate  demurred  again, 
the  people  clamored  more,  and  Pilate  surrendered.  He  gave  as 
a  reason  for  his  surrender  the  innocence  of  Jesus  (Jn.  19 :  6),  thus 
stultifying  himself  as  a  judge.  Now,  when  the  Sanhedrin  have 
won,  they  tell  the  real  charge  that  they  have  against  Jesus,  that  he 
made  himself  the  Son  of  God  (Jn.  19  :  7)  and  Pilate  is  once  more 
aroused  to  have  a  private  interview  with  Jesus  in  the  palace  (Jn. 
19  :  9-1 1).  He  makes  one  more  feeble  effort  to  release  Jesus,  but 
does  not  have  the  manhood  and  courage  to  do  what  is  right  in  the 
face  of  popular  clamor  and  the  threat  of  a  report  to  Caesar  that  he 
has  set  free  a  man  who  claimed  to  be  Caesar's  rival  (Jn.  19  :  12-14). 

24.  Washed  his  hands.  A  most  humiliating  spectacle.  But 
the  blood  of  Christ  was  on  his  hands  and  his  soul. 

271 


MATTHEW 


the  people  answered  and  said,  His  blood  he  on  us,  and 
\JL  26.   on  our  children.    Then  released  he  unto  them  Barab- 
bas :  but  Jesus  he  scourged  and  delivered  to  be  cruci- 
fied. 

27.  Then  the  soldiers  of  the  governor  took  Jesus  into 
the  palace,  and  gathered  unto  him  the  whole  band. 

28.  And  they  stripped  him,  and  put  on  him  a  scarlet  robe. 

29.  And  they  plaited  a  crown  of  thorns  and  put  it  upon 
his  head,  and  a  reed  in  his  right  hand;  and  they 
kneeled  down  before  him,  and  mocked  him,  saying, 

30.  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews !    And  they  spat  upon  him, 

31.  and  took  the  reed  and  smote  him  on  the  head.  And 
when  they  had  mocked  him,  they  took  off  from  him 
the  robe,  and  put  on  him  his  garments,  and  led  him 
away  to  crucify  him. 

15.   The  Crucifixioftj  27 :  32-56 

kl  32.       And  as  they  came  out,  thty  found  a  man  of  Cyrene, 
Simon  by  name :  him  they  compelled  to  go  with  them, 


25.  His  blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  children.  A  dreadful 
curse.  This  crowd  had  allowed  the  Sanhedrin  to  lead  them  into 
this  crime.  There  is  guilt  for  all  —  Judas,  Caiaphas  and  the  San- 
hedrin, Pilate,  the  people.  In  a  large  sense  history  seems  to  show 
that  this  curse  was  fulfilled.  It  is  the  tragedy  of  all  time  that 
Jesus  came  to  his  own  and  his  own  received  him  not  (Jn.  i :  11). 

26.  He  scourged.  Before  the  crucifixion,  as  was  common. 
Pilate,  of  course,  had  Jesus  scourged. 

27.  The  soldiers  of  the  governor  took  Jesus  into  the  palace. 
For  two  hours  Jesus  is  here  at  the  mercy  of  a  band  of  rough  Ro- 
man soldiers,  while  the  details  for  the  crucifixion  are  arranged. 
The  mockery  was  very  humiliating.  They  put  back  the  purple 
robe  and  the  crown  of  thorns,  unless  John  (19:  15)  has  it  in  the 
wrong  place. 

32.  Found  a  man  of  Cyrene,  Simon  by  name.  He  was  coming 
into  the  city  from  the  country  and  was  the  father  of  Alexander  and 
Rufus  (Mk.  15:21).     Compelled.     The  word  means  to  impress  as 

272 


MATTHEW 


33.  that  he  might  bear  his  cross.    And  when  they  were 
come  unto  a  place  called  Golgotha,  that  is  to  say,  The 

34.  place  of  a  skull,  they  gave  him  wine  to  drink  mingled 
with  gall ;   and  when  he  had  tasted  it,  he  would  not 

35.  drink.    And  when  they  had  crucified  him,  they  parted 

36.  his  garments  among  them,  casting  lots :  and  they  sat 

37.  and  watched  him  there.     And  they  set  up  over  his 
head  his  accusation  written,  this  is  jesus  the  king  of 


soldiers  do.  Jesus  was  bearing  the  cross  for  himself  (Jn.  19:  17) 
as  was  the  custom,  and  was  apparently  exhausted.  Luke  (23  :  27- 
31)  alone  gives  the  incident  of  the  sympathy  of  the  women  of 
Jerusalem  for  Jesus  and  of  his  pity  for  them. 

33.  The  place  of  a  skull.  Not  the  place  of  skulls.  So  Mk. 
15:  22  and  Jn.  19:  17.  Luke  (23:  33)  has  simply  "  the  skull  " 
(cf.  Latin  Calvary.)  Possibly  the  name  came  from  the  legend 
that  it  was  the  burial  place  of  the  skull  of  Adam.  There  is  now 
north  of  Jerusalem  a  hill  that  looks  like  a  skull  when  seen  from 
Olivet,  which  fact  may  be  the  explanation  of  the  name.  But  it 
is  questionable  whether  the  resemblance  is  not  due  to  quarrying 
in  the  Middle  Ages.  It  seems  improbable  that  the  place  of  the 
crucifixion  was  where  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  is  within 
the  walls  of  the  city  (Jn.  19  :  20).  The  hill  to  the  north  just  men- 
tioned may  be  the  site  of  the  Crucifixion. 

34.  He  would  not  drink.  Because  of  the  "  gall "  (Matt. 
27 :  33)  and  "  myrrh  "  (Mk.  15 :  23)  which  made  it  a  stupefying 
drink. 

35-38.  And  when.  Mark  (15  :  25)  explains  that  it  is  the  third 
hour  when  Jesus  was  nailed  to  the  cross.  This  was  nine  a.m., 
Roman  time.  Crucified  him.  Crucifixion  was  a  common  mode 
of  punishment  at  this  time  among  the  Romans.  It  had  even  been 
practised  by  Alexander  Jannaeus,  one  of  the  Maccabees.  Antio- 
chus  Epiphanes,  the  bloodthirsty  Syrian  king,  had  crucified  many 
of  the  Jews.  There  were  various  forms  of  the  cross,  but  the  one 
familiar  to  us  was  probably  the  one  employed.  The  hands  and 
feet  were  nailed  to  the  cross  (Lk.  24 :  39  f .)  probably  before  the 
cross  was  lifted  up.  It  was  not  very  high.  The  physical  suffer- 
ing was  intense  and  caused  severe  thirst.  Parted  his  garments. 
The  soldiers.  There  were  four  of  them  who  watched  (Jn.  19  :  23). 
John  adds  the  incident  about  the  seamless  robe  not  given  by  the 
others. 

37.  His  accusation.  This  was  common.  The  charge  and  the 
T  273 


MATTHEW 


38.  THE  JEWS.  Then  are  there  crucified  with  him  two 
robbers,  one  on  the  right  hand,  and  one  on  the  left. 

39.  And  they  that  passed  by  railed  on  him,  wagging  their 

40.  heads,  and  saying,  Thou  that  destroyest  the  temple, 
and  buildest  it  in  three  days,  save  thyself :  if  thou  art 

41.  the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross.  In  like 
manner  also  the  chief  priests  mocking  him,  with  the 

42.  scribes  and  elders,  said.  He  saved  others ;  himself  he 
cannot  save.  He  is  the  King  of  Israel ;  let  him  now 
come  down  from  the  cross,  and  we  will  believe  on  him. 


name  were  written  above  the  head.  The  four  Gospels  vary  in  the 
words  used.  Perhaps  what  was  actually  written  was  this :  "  This 
is  Jesus  of  Nazareth  the  King  of  the  Jews."  John  (19  :  20-22)  says 
that  the  charge  was  in  Latin  (the  legal  language),  Hebrew  (Ara- 
maic, the  Jewish  vernacular),  and  Greek  (the  common  tongue  of 
the  Roman  Empire).  The  Aramaic  and  Greek  were  for  the  read- 
ing of  the  crowds.  Pilate  shows  unexpected  stubbornness  after 
his  vacillation  and  weakness  at  the  trial,  when  the  rulers  object  to 
the  phraseology  of  the  inscription. 

38.  Two  robbers.  Not  thieves  as  AV  has  it.  Luke  (23  :  33) 
has  "  malefactors  "  and  John  (19  :  18)  merely  "  two  others."  Luke 
has  the  first  word  of  Jesus  from  the  cross :  "  Father,  forgive  them, 
for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  Some  of  the  best  Mss.  lack  it, 
but  it  is  probably  genuine.  John  (19  :  26  f.)  alone  gives  the  second 
word  on  the  cross,  that  to  his  mother  and  to  John. 

39.  That  passed  by.  It  seems  inconceivable  that  men  could 
stoop  so  low.  Their  manner  is  scornful  as  they  passed  along  the 
public  road.  The  sneers  are  directed  at  Jesus,  not  at  the  two 
robbers.  The  word  about  building  the  temple  in  three  days  may 
be  an  echo  of  the  testimony  of  the  witnesses  before  the  Sanhedrin 
the  night  before.  There  also  he  had  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  (Matt.  27 :  63  f.).  They  were  throwing  in  his  teeth  his  very 
claims.  He  who  was  a  few  days  before  the  hero  of  the  crowds  is 
now  without  a  friend  in  the  rabble.  The  halo  of  success  is  gone. 
He  is  merely  a  common  criminal  crucified  on  the  cross. 

41.  The  chief  priests.  The  members  of  the  Sanhedrin  actu- 
ally joined  in  the  jeering.  They  mock  at  his  miracles  and  do 
not  know  how  true  their  words  are  :  "  He  saved  others ;  himself 
he  cannot  save."  They  sneer  at  this  "  king  of  Israel  "  (not  of 
the  Jews).     Twice  they  accent  "  now  "  and  laugh  at  his  appeal  for 

274 


MATTHEW 


43.  He  trusteth  on  God;   let  him  deliver  him  now,  if  he 

44.  desireth  him :  for  he  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God.  And 
the  robbers  also  that  were  crucified  with  him  cast  upon 
him  the  same  reproach. 

45.  Now  from  the  sixth  hour  there  was  darkness  over 

46.  all  the  land  until  the  ninth  hour.  And  about  the  ninth 
hour  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Eli,  Eli, 
lama  sabachthani?    that  is,  My  God,  my  God,  why 

47.  hast  thou  forsaken  me?  And  some  of  them  that 
stood  there,  when  they  heard  it,  said.  This  man  calleth 


men  to  "  believe  "  on  him  and  his  claim  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  Luke 
(23  :  36)  adds  that  the  soldiers  also  mocked  Jesus,  offering  him 
vinegar, 

44.  The  robbers.  Even  the  two  robbers  felt  superior  to  this 
criminal  whom  all  mocked.  The  cross  was  already  a  stumbling 
block.  But  one  of  them  came  to  himself  (Lk.  23  :  39-43)  and 
confessed  faith  in  a  dying  King.  To  him  Jesus  speaks  the  third 
and  gracious  words  from  the  cross. 

45.  From  the  sixth  hour.  Noon  hour.  Darkness  over  all 
the  land.  Not  necessarily  over  all  the  world.  It  was  not  an 
eclipse,  since  the  moon  was  full.  The  darkness  may  have  been 
caused  by  dense  clouds  or  because  of  the  earthquake  which  fol- 
lowed. Until  the  ninth  hour.  Three  p,m.  Three  hours  of 
darkness  and  silence.  It  is  hard  to  tell  which  was  the  worse, 
the  three  hours  of  insult  (9  a,m,  to  12  m.)  or  the  three  hours  of 
darkness  (12  m.  to  3  p.m.). 

46.  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?  From 
Ps.  22:1.  In  the  temptation  in  the  wilderness  Jesus  quotes  Deu- 
teronomy, In  his  supreme  crisis  he  turns  to  the  Psalms  for  expression 
of  his  emotions,  Mark  (15  :  34)  has  this  fourth  saying  also.  This 
cry  of  Jesus  has  occasioned  much  speculation,  Jesus  surely  did  not 
mean  that  the  divine  nature  was  no  longer  with  him.  In  the  long 
darkness  and  silence  he  had  felt  a  sense  of  loneliness  as  if 
the  Father's  presence  were  no  longer  with  him.  Some  light  is 
thrown  on  the  matter  by  2  Cor,  5:21.  Jesus  felt  the  full  weight 
of  sin  upon  his  soul  and  was  allowed  to  suffer  alone  in  this  awful 
hour.  Cf.  Jn,  3:16.  In  Gethsemane,  though  the  disciples  slept, 
the  Father  comforted  him.  But  now  Jesus  does  not  feel  the 
Father's  hand.  He  grapples  with  death  alone.  But  we  need  not 
die  alone. 

275 


MATTHEW 


48.  Elijah.     And  straightway  one  of  them  ran,  and  took 
a  sponge,  and  filled  it  with  vinegar,  and  put  it  on  a 

49.  reed,  and  gave  him  to  drink.     And  the  rest  said.  Let 
be;    let  us  see  whether  Elijah  cometh  to  save  him. 

50.  And  Jesus  cried  again  with  a  loud  voice,  and  yielded 

51.  up  his  spirit.     And  behold,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was 
rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the  bottom;    and  the 

52.  earth  did  quake;   and  the  rocks  were  rent;   and  the 
tombs  were  opened;    and  many  bodies  of  the  saints 

53.  that  had  fallen  asleep  were  raised ;   and  coming  forth 
out  of  the  tombs  after  his  resurrection  they  entered 

54.  into  the  holy  city  and  appeared  unto  many.     Now 
the  centurion,  and  they  that  were  with  him  watching 


47.  This  man  calleth  Elijah.  So  little  did  the  bystanders 
understand. 

48.  Gave  him  to  drink.  He  had  made  the  fifth  cry,  "  I 
thirst  "  (Jn.  19 :  28)  because  of  the  physical  anguish.  He  took 
the  vinegar,  a  stimulating  drink.  John  gives  the  sixth  cry,  "  It 
is  finished  "  (Jn.  19  :  30).  A  very  important  word,  Jesus  felt  in 
his  hour  of  death  that  he  had  done  his  work.  What  seemed  Hke 
his  utter  undoing  was  to  be,  as  he  knew  ("  knowing  that  all  things 
are  now  finished,"  Jn.  19:  28),  the  very  means  for  the  fulfilment 
of  his  mission.     He  died  conscious  of  victory. 

50.  Cried  again.  Matthew  does  not  give  the  seventh  cry  nor 
does  Mark,  but  Luke  (23  :  46)  does.  It  is  from  Ps.  31 :  6.  So  Jesus 
died  with  the  words  of  the  Psalm  upon  his  lips,  "  Father,  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  Yielded  up  his  spirit.  This  better 
than  "  ghost." 

51.  Rent  in  twain.  The  Synoptics  all  give  the  rending  of  the 
veil  of  the  temple.  Matthew  and  Mark  explain  that  it  was  from 
the  top  to  the  bottom.  Matthew  alone  has  the  earthquake  and 
the  raisings  from  the  dead.  Some  are  disposed  to  see  evidence  of 
mere  legends  here.  It  may  be  said  that  the  miracles  in  connection 
with  the  death  of  Jesus  are  on  a  par  with  those  at  the  time  of  his  birth. 

53.  After  his  resurrection.  The  tombs  were  opened  by  the 
earthquake,  but  the  dead  came  forth  after  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus.  Appeared  unto  many.  As  proof  thus  of  the  fact  of  their 
resurrection. 

54.  The  centurion,  and  they  that  were  with  him  watching.     The 

276 


MATTHEW 


Jesus,  when  they  saw  the  earthquake,  and  the  things 
that  were  done,  feared  exceedingly,  saying.  Truly  this 

55.  was  the  Son  of  God.  And  many  women  were  there 
beholding  from  afar,  which  had  followed  Jesus  from 

56.  Galilee,  ministering  unto  him :  among  whom  was  Mary 
Magdalene,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses, 
and  the  mother  of  the  sons  of  Zebedee. 

16.   The  Burial  J  27  :  57-66 

57.  And  when  even  was  come,  there  came  a  rich  man 
from  Arimathaea,  named  Joseph,  who  also  himself 

58.  was  Jesus'  disciple :  this  man  went  to  Pilate,  and  asked 
for  the  body  of  Jesus.    Then  Pilate  commanded  it 


apostles  were  all  absent  except  John,  who  had  been  present  part  of 
the  time  (Jn,  19:27).  But  multitudes  had  come  to  see  "the 
sight  "  (Lk.  23  :  48).  They  left  in  awe.  The  centurion  himself 
was  deeply  impressed.  The  son  of  God.  Or,  a  son  of  God.  The 
Gk.  is  ambiguous.  Cf.  "  a  righteous  man  "  in  Lk.  23  :  47.  To  a 
pagan  like  the  centurion  such  a  term  would  have  been  less  sig- 
nificant than  to  a  Jew. 

55.  Many  women.  Luke  (23  :  49)  adds  "  all  his  acquaintances," 
probably  most  of  his  special  friends,  though  hardly  the  apostles. 
The  women  from  Galilee  "  stood  afar  off  seeing  these  things." 
They  were  faithful  to  the  last.  There  were  also  "  many  other 
women  "  (Mk.  15  :  41).  John  (19  :  25)  apparently  has  four  in  his 
list  not  including  the  mother  of  Jesus.  Cf.  also  Mk.  15  :  40. 
Mary  Magdalene  has  long  been  faithful.  Cf.  Lk.  8  :  2.  The  end 
to  all  their  hopes  had  come  at  last. 

57.  When  even  was  come.  Cf.  Mk.  15:42,  The  idea  evi- 
dently is  that  it  is  nearly  sundown,  but  still  Friday.  So  Mark  ex- 
plains "  because  it  was  the  Preparation,  that  is,  the  day  before  the 
Sabbath."  The  term  "  Preparation  "  was  used  as  a  regular  name 
for  Friday  (so  now  in  modern  Gk.).  Hence  John  (19:31)  called  it 
just  "  the  Preparation."  John  alone  gives  the  incident  about  the 
breaking  of  the  legs  of  the  robbers  and  the  piercing  of  the  side  of 
Jesus.  The  Jews  did  not  wish  the  bodies  to  remain  on  the  crosses 
during  the  Sabbath.  A  rich  man  from  Arimathaea,  named  Jo- 
seph. He  has  not  appeared  in  the  story  before.  He  had  been 
looking  for  the  kingdom  (Lk.  23:  51),  a  recent   disciple  (Jn.  19: 

277 


MATTHEW 


59.  to  be  given  up.    And  Joseph  took  the  body,    and 

60.  wrapped  it  in  a  clean  linen  cloth,  and  laid  it  in  his  own 
new  tomb,  which  he  had  hewn  out  in  the  rock :  and 
he  rolled  a  great  stone  to  the  door  of  the  tomb,  and 

61.  departed.  And  Mary  Magdalene  was  there,  and  the 
other  Mary,  sitting  over  against  the  sepulchre. 

62.  Now  on  the  morrow,  which  is  the  day  after  the 
Preparation,  the  chief  priests  and  the  Pharisees  were 

63.  gathered  together  unto  Pilate,  saying.  Sir,  we  remem- 
ber that  that  deceiver  said,  while  he  was  yet  alive, 

64.  After  three  days  I  rise  again.  Command  therefore 
that  the  sepulchre  be  made  sure  until  the  third  day, 
lest  haply  his  disciples  come  and  steal  him  away,  and 
say  imto  the  people.  He  is  risen  from  the  dead :  and 


38),  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrin  who  had  not  agreed  to  the  death 
of  Jesus  (Lk.  23 :  50  f.).  He  is  bold  now,  when  the  apostles  are 
scattered.  The  bodies  were  not  always  cared  for.  Pilate  was 
astonished  that  Jesus  was  already  dead  (Mk.  15  :  44). 

59.  A  clean  linen  cloth.  Just  bought  (Mk.  15  :  59).  John 
(19:  39  f.)  adds  that  Nicodemus  also  now  comes  boldly  out  for 
Jesus  and  procures  costly  spices  for  anointing  the  body. 

60.  Laid  it  in  his  own  new  tomb.  The  highest  honor  that  Jo- 
seph could  now  do  to  the  body  of  Jesus.  Since  it  was  cut  out  of  a 
rock,  the  body  could  not  be  taken  out  without  removing  the  great 
stone  and  also  breaking  the  seal  if  one  was  used. 

61.  Mary  Magdalene  was  there,  and  the  other  Mary.  Joseph 
had  departed,  but  these  two  women  came.  Mark  explains  "  the 
other  Mary"  as  Mary  the  mother  of  Joses  (15:47).  What 
thoughts  are  in  their  hearts? 

62.  On  the  morrow.  Matthew  explains  again  that  the  sabbath 
comes  after  the  Preparation.  Cf.  Lk.  23  :  54.  The  rulers  came  to 
Pilate  on  the  Sabbath. 

63.  Sir,  we  remember.  Cf.  Matt.  12  :  40  which  was  spoken  to 
Pharisees,  the  sign  of  Jonah.  It  is  strange  that  the  enemies  of 
Jesus  remembered  when  his  disciples  did  not.  Even  Peter,  James, 
and  John,  who  had  been  on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  fail  to 
remember.     Their  sorrow  dazed  them. 

64.  Be  made  sure  until  the  third  day.  So  they  interpret 
"  after  three  days."    The  last  error  will  be  worse  than  the  first. 

278 


MATTHEW 


65.  the  last  error  will  be  worse  than  the  first.    Pilate  said 
unto  them,  Ye  have  a  guard :  go  your  way,  make  it 

66.  as  sure  as  ye  can.     So  they  went,  and  made  the  sepul- 
chre sure,  sealing  the  stone,  the  guard  being  with  them. 


They  spoke  more  wisely  than  they  knew.  What  they  did  served 
to  make  stronger  the  proof  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  and  to  re- 
establish Christianity. 

66.  Sealing  the  stone,  the  guard  being  with  them.  To  break 
this  government  seal  would  be  to  incur  a  heavy  penalty.  The 
guard  were  responsible  for  the  safety  of  the  tomb.  Curiously 
enough  those  rulers,  who  had  accused  Jesus  of  Sabbath  desecra- 
tion, themselves  violate  their  own  laws  in  order  to  seal  the  tomb 
on  the  Sabbath. 


279 


XI.  The  Triumph  of  Jesus,  28 : 1-20 

I.  Jesus  appears  to  the  Women,  28:1-10 

28.  Now  late  on  the  sabbath  day,  as  it  began  to  dawn 
toward  the  first  day  of  the  week,  came  Mary  Magda- 
lene and  the  other  Mary  to  see  the  sepulchre. 

I.  Late  on  the  Sabbath  day.  In  the  Gk.  this  is  an  unusual  and 
somewhat  ambiguous  construction.  Examples  are  found  in  the 
Koine  (vernacular  of  the  time),  where  the  idiom  means  "  late  on  " 
and  sometimes  it  means  "after,"  Here  "late  on"  suits  the  con- 
text better.  As  it  began  to  dawn  toward  the  first  day  of  the  week. 
To  us  this  expression  sounds  like  sunrise,  but  one  must  note  Lk. 
23  :  54  "  And  it  was  the  day  of  the  Preparation,  and  the  Sabbath 
drew  on  "  (dawned,  literally,  the  same  word  used  in  Matt.  28 :  i). 
The  beginning  of  Sabbath  at  sunset  is  clearly  meant  (cf.  "  returned 
and  prepared  spices,"  and  "  on  the  Sabbath  they  rested,"  Lk. 
23  :  56.  If  Matthew  had  in  mind  sunrise  here,  he  would  not  have 
mentioned  Sabbath  at  all,  which  (as  the  Jews  counted  time)  was 
past  twelve  hours  at  sunrise.  Mark  (16:  i)  does  say  "  when  the 
Sabbath  was  past,"  but  he  manifestly  refers  to  the  period  after 
sundown,  when  the  women  "  bought  spices,  that  they  might  come 
and  anoint  him,"  because  he  distinguishes  this  purchase  from  the 
visit  to  the  tomb  "  very  early  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,"  which 
he  explains  by  "  when  the  sun  was  risen."  The  various  reports  of 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  (the  four  Gospels  and  i  Corinthians  15) 
vary  in  many  details  and  are  quite  independent.  With  our  pres- 
ent knowledge  they  cannot  be  reconciled  in  all  points,  but  they 
all  testify  to  the  central  fact  of  the  empty  tomb  and  the  appear- 
ances of  Jesus  to  various  credible  witnesses.  The  best  that  can 
thus  be  attempted  is  a  tentative  arrangement.  Mary  Magda- 
lene and  the  otiier  Mary.  Mark  has  also  Salome  in  his  list.  To 
see  the  sepulchre.  The  purpose  of  this  visit  late  on  the  Sabbath 
was  to  view  the  sepulchre  again.  They  had  made  a  similar  visit 
just  before  the  Sabbath  began  (Matt,  27:61;  Mk,  15  :  47 ;  Lk. 
23  :  55)-  On  the  way  back  to  Bethany  after  the  Sabbath,  as  Mark 
has  it,  they  bought  spices  to  anoint  the  body  of  Jesus  with  early 
the  next  morning. 

280 


MATTHEW 


2.  And  behold,  there  was  a  great  earthquake;   for  an 
angel  of  the  Lord  descended  from  heaven,  and  came 

3.  and  rolled  away  the  stone,  and  sat  upon  it.     His  ap- 
pearance was  as  lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as 

4.  snow :  and  for  fear  of  him  the  watchers  did  quake,  and 
became  as  dead  men. 

5.  And  the  angel  answered  and  said  unto  the  women, 
Fear  not  ye :  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus,  which  hath 

6.  been  crucified.     He  is  not  here ;   for  he  is  risen,  even 
as  he  said.    Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay. 


2.  And  behold.  Matthew  alone  gives  the  account  of  this  earth- 
quake. Cf.  the  earthquake  in  27  :  51.  It  is  not  made  clear  when 
the  earthquake  occurred,  except  that  it  was  between  sundown 
(Matt.  28  :  i)  and  sunrise  (Mk.  16  :  2).  Cf.  also  Mk.  16  :  9.  The 
earthquake  is  not  said  to  be  the  explanation  of  the  opening  of  the 
tomb  nor  are  we  told  who  noticed  it.  Matthew  rather  implies  that  it 
took  place  as  the  women  were  on  the  way  to  the  tomb,  but  he  does 
not  say  so  (28  :  5).  It  is  on  the  whole  best  to  set  this  incident  by 
itself.  For  an  angel  of  the  lord  descended.  This  angel  was  there 
when  the  women  came  later,  but  we  do  not  know  how  the  knowl- 
edge was  obtained  that  the  angel  rolled  away  the  stone.  The 
watchers  may  indeed  have  told  the  Sanhedrin  and  the  converted 
priests  (Acts  6 :  7)  may  have  told  the  disciples.  The  watchers 
did  quake,  and  become  as  dead  men.  They  were  the  only  specta- 
tors of  the  rolling  away  of  the  stone  and  apparently  of  the  resur- 
rection, though  that  is  not  here  stated. 

5.  Answered  and  said  unto  the  women.  This  language  does 
not  necessarily  imply  that  the  women  had  said  anything.  They 
may  have  shown  surprise  and  excitement.  Indeed  John  (20 :  i  f .) 
represents  Mary  Magdalene  as  running  away  to  Peter  and  John, 
as  soon  as  she  sees  the  stone  rolled  away.  Matthew  mentions  only 
one  angel.  Mark  (16 :  5)  calls  him  "  a  young  man  "  "  in  a  white 
robe,"  while  Luke  (24 :  4)  says  :  "  two  men  stood  by  in  dazzling  ap- 
parel." For  I  know.  He  shows  sympathy.  In  their  fright  they 
had  bowed  down  their  faces  to  the  earth  (Lk.  24 :  5). 

6.  He  is  not  here ;  for  he  is  risen.  This  is  the  great  and  glad 
news  and  it  is  told  with  simplicity  and  clearness.  Cf.  Mk.  16  :  6; 
Lk.  24  :  6.  The  empty  tomb  is  the  first  fact.  The  explanation  is 
offered  by  the  angel.  Is  this  the  true  explanation  of  the  empty 
tomb?     Many  others  have  been  suggested.     Mary  Magdalene 

281 


MATTHEW 


7.  And  go  quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples,  He  is  risen  from 
the  dead;  and  lo,  he  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee; 
there  shall  ye  see  him :  lo,  I  have  told  you. 


first  thought  the  body  had  been  stolen  (Jn.  20 :  2)  and  then  that 
the  gardener  had  removed  it  (Jn.  20:15).  The  soldiers  who 
watched  were  paid  to  say  that  the  disciples  had  stolen  his  body 
(Matt.  27:13).  The  disciples  would  not  at  first  beHeve  the 
report  of  the  women  (Lk.  24:  11).  It  was  the  "idle  talk"  of 
excitable  women.  The  disciples  themselves  required  tangible 
proof  of  Jesus  (Lk.  24:37-43).  Thomas  demanded  it  also  (Jn. 
20:  25-29).  The  slowness  of  the  disciples  to  believe  that  Jesus 
had  risen  from  the  dead  makes  it  hard  to  explain  the  revival  of 
Christianity  on  any  hypothesis  other  than  the  fact  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus.  The  modern  man  begins  with  the  case  of  Paul, 
who  in  an  acknowledged  epistle  (i  Cor.  15:  i-ii)  tells  his  own 
experience  with  the  Risen  Jesus.  That  experience  was  some 
twenty  years  before  and  is  repeatedly  referred  to  by  Paul.  It 
occurred  within  a  few  years  after  the  death  of  Jesus.  It  has  not 
been  successfully  explained  away.  It  explains  the  career  of  Paul 
and  the  origin  of  Christianity  as  nothing  else  does.  It  powerfully 
confirms  the  narratives  in  the  Gospels  about  the  Resurrection  of 
Jesus.  Paul  mentions  the  resurrection  "  on  the  third  day."  It 
was  more  than  mere  continuance  of  life.  The  swoon  theory,  the 
mere  spirit  survival  theory,  the  imagination  of  the  women  —  all 
fail  to  account  for  the  complete  reversal  of  point  of  view  in  the 
disciples  and  in  Paul.  The  Risen  Christ  does  explain  the  origin 
of  Christianity  and  the  continuance  of  it  in  millions  of  hearts  to- 
day.    Each  Christian  has  the  witness  in  his  own  heart. 

7.  And  tell  his  disciples.  Mark  (16  :  7)  adds  "  and  Peter,"  a 
touch  of  sympathy  for  the  fallen  leader.  Luke  (24  :  6)  records  the 
exhortation  to  "  remember  "  what  Jesus  had  said.  How  much 
they  had  forgotten  in  the  wreck  of  their  hopes !  The  women  now 
remember.  They  do  tell  the  disciples,  but  they  themselves  see 
Jesus  first  (Matt.  27  :  9).  Goeth  before  you  into  Galilee.  As  he 
had  said  before  his  death  (Mk.  14:  28).  In  Galilee  he  had  also 
told  the  necessity  of  his  death  (Lk.  24 :  7).  There  is  no  intimation 
here  that  Jesus  will  be  manifested  in  Jerusalem.  Matthew  gives 
appearances  both  in  Jerusalem  and  in  Galilee,  as  does  John. 
Luke  mentions  only  those  in  Jerusalem.  Mark's  Gospel  is  de- 
fective after  16:9.  The  last  verses  are  of  uncertain  origin.  It 
was  in  Galilee  that  the  great  prearranged  meeting  was  to 
be  (Matt.  28:16).  The  appearances  in  Jerusalem  came  as  a 
surprise.  , 

282 


MATTHEW 


8.  And  they  departed  quickly  from  the  tomb  with  fear 
and  great  joy,  and  ran  to  bring  his  disciples  word. 

9.  And  behold,  Jesus  met  them,  saying.  All  hail.  And 
they  came  and  took  hold  of  his  feet,  and  worshipped 
him.     Then  saith  Jesus  unto  them.  Fear  not :  go  tell 

10.  my  brethren  that  they  depart  into  Galilee,  and  there 
shall  they  see  me. 

2.   The  Guard  and  the  Sanhedrin,  28:11-15 

11.  Now  while  they  were  going,  behold,  some  of  the 
guard  came  into  the  city,  and  told  unto  the  chief  priests 

12.  all  the  things  that  were  come  to  pass.     And  when  they 
were  assembled  with  the  elders,  and  had  taken  coim- 


8.  Quickly.  Naturally  so,  for  the  news  was  wonderful.  The 
fear  and  joy  are  also  natural.  Mark  (16  :  8)  adds  that  they  spoke 
to  no  one. 

9.  Jesus  met  them.  He  had  probably  already  appeared  to 
Mary  Magdalene  (Jn.  20:  16  f.).  She  was  the  first  to  be  able  to 
say,  "  I  have  seen  the  Lord  "  (Jn.  20:  18),  but  the  disciples  dis- 
believed her  (Mk.  16  :  11)  as  they  did  the  other  women  when  they 
told  their  story  (Lk.  24:  10  f.).  These  women  do  not  doubt. 
Took  hold  of  his  feet  and  worshipped  him.  Mary  (Jn.  20:  17) 
had  greeted  Jesus  with  startled  joy,  but  was  not  allowed  to  touch 
him. 

10.  Go  tell  my  brethren  that  they  depart  into  Galilee,  and 
there  shall  they  see  me.  Matthew  does  not  indeed  record  the  other 
Jerusalem  and  Galilean  appearances.  They  are  ten  in  all:  to  Mary, 
to  the  other  women,  to  the  two  on  the  way  to  Emmaus,  to  Peter,  to 
the  ten  and  others  without  Thomas,  to  the  disciples  with  Thomas, 
to  the  seven  disciples  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  to  James,  to  the  five 
hundred  in  Galilee,  to  the  disciples  in  Jerusalem.  This  is  the  prob- 
able order. 

11.  Some  of  the  guard.  The  rest  probably  fled.  Told  tmto 
the  chief  priests.  Not  unto  Pilate.  They  were  afraid  of  Pilate 
and  wished  the  intervention  of  the  chief  priests. 

12.  Were  assembled.  Probably  not  a  formal  meeting  of  the 
Sanhedrin,  but  a  large  conference  of  the  leaders  who  could  be 
promptly  reached.  Cf.  Matt.  27  :  63  ff.  Large  money.  Proof  of 
their  anxiety. 

283 


MATTHEW 


13.  sel,  they  gave  large  money  unto  the  soldiers,  saying, 
Say  ye,  His  disciples  came  by  night,  and  stole  him 

14.  away  while  we  slept.  And  if  this  come  to  the  gov- 
ernor's ears,  we  will  persuade  him,  and  rid  you  of  care. 

15.  So  they  took  the  money,  and  did  as  they  were  taught : 
and  this  saying  was  spread  abroad  among  the  Jews, 
and  continueth  until  this  day. 

3.  Jesus  and  the  Disciples  on  the  Mountain  in  Galilee ^ 
28 :  16-20 

16.  But  the  eleven  disciples  went  into  Galilee,  unto  the 

17.  mountain  where  Jesus  had  appointed  them.  And 
when  they  saw  him,  they  worshipped  him:  but  some 

18.  doubted.     And  Jesus  came  to  them  and  spake  unto 


13.  Say  ye.  It  was  a  lie  on  the  face  of  it.  If  they  slept,  they 
would  not  know  who  did  it. 

14.  We  will  persuade  him.     With  money. 

15.  Until  this  day.  When  the  Gospel  was  written.  It  was 
the  Jewish  explanation  of  the  empty  tomb.  Some  of  the  Jews 
said  that  Judas  removed  the  body.  Judas  was  dead.  One  had 
risen  from  the  dead,  but  th  ^  rulers  were  not  convinced.  Did  they 
credit  the  report  of  the  guard? 

16.  The  eleven  disciples.  According  to  Paul  above  five  hun- 
dred were  present  (i  Cor.  15:6),  most  of  them  still  living  when  he 
wrote.  Here  was  incontestable  proof  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus. 
Unto  the  mountain  where  Jesus  had  appointed  them.  Some  time 
was  required  for  this  meeting.  It  was  a  great  occasion.  This 
band  of  five  hundred  were  the  fruit  of  the  work  of  Jesus  in  Galilee. 
They  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  To 
them  Jesus  gave  this  great  commission.  Jerusalem  will  be  the 
centre  of  activity  for  some  time  now,  no  longer  Galilee.  As  Chris- 
tianity enters  upon  the  world  stage  Antioch  will  displace  Jerusalem 
as  the  base  of  operations.  But  Jesus  here  sends  them  forth  from 
Galilee. 

17.  They  worshipped  him,  but  some  doubted.  Those  that 
doubted  were  probably  from  among  the  five  hundred  who  had  not 
before  seen  the  Risen  Christ. 

18.  All  authority.     It  is  a  magnificent  spectacle  on  this  moun- 

284 


MATTHEW 


them,  saying,  All  authority  hath  been  given  unto  me 

19.  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  make 
disciples  of  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them  into  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 

20.  Ghost:   teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatso- 


tain.  The  Risen  Christ  is  surrounded  by  the  faithful  five  hun- 
dred. He  has  no  army,  no  money,  no  country,  nothing  that  the 
world  counts  power.  Yet  the  most  sublime  claim  is  made  by 
Jesus  and  it  is  wholly  admitted  by  these  men.  No  mere  man  in 
his  senses  could  have  spoken  in  this  fashion. 

19.  Go  ye  therefore.  The  command  is  based  upon  the  claims. 
The  command  is  addressed  to  all  the  five  hundred.  It  is  primarily 
an  individual  responsibility.  The  church  is  the  chief  means  for 
pushing  on  the  work  of  the  kingdom,  but  not  the  only  means. 
The  failure  of  the  church  to  do  its  duty  does  not  absolve  the  in- 
dividual Christian  from  his  responsibility.  Make  disciples. 
Make  learners.  It  is  a  world-wide  mission.  The  Jews  are  not 
excluded,  but  it  is  not  a  mere  Jewish  propaganda.  This  larger 
phase  of  the  work  Jesus  had  kept  in  the  background  before  his 
death,  but  now  he  flings  his  banner  to  the  breeze  for  the  conquest 
of  the  world.  He  will  challenge  the  claims  of  the  devil  to  the 
dominion  of  the  world.  Baptizing  them.  It  is  sometimes  denied 
that  this  verse  is  genuine  since  it  seems  so  ecclesiastical.  The 
documents  practically  all  give  it.  That  it  represents  a  real  saying 
of  Jesus  must  be  believed  also.  It  is  true  that  baptism  seems  to 
have  been  dropped  during  most  of  the  ministry  of  Jesus  to  avoid 
undue  publicity.  But  no  such  reason  exists  now.  This  com- 
mand of  Jesus  explains  the  word  of  Peter  in  Acts  2  :  38  and  the 
resumption  of  the  rite.  It  is  the  symbol  of  the  new  life  in  Christ 
(Rom.  6 :  3-6)  and  Jesus  himself  had  submitted  to  it.  Into  the 
name.  In  the  name  of,  on  the  authority  of,  not  "  into  ";  cf.  Matt. 
10:  41  f.  The  use  of  the  Trinitarian  formula  does  not  show  that 
Jesus  did  not  say  it.  Else  how  can  we  explain  the  many  Trini- 
tarian expressions  in  the  Acts  and  the  Epistles?  They  seem  to 
come  ultimately  from  Jesus.  In  the  Acts  (2  :  38  ;  8:16;  10:48; 
19:5)  baptism  is  only  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  name  of 
Jesus.  It  evidently  was  not  felt  to  be  essential  to  use  the  entire 
formula.  The  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  stood  for  the  rest  and  was 
the  heart  of  the  matter. 

20.  Teaching  them.  Discipleship  and  baptism  are  not  enough. 
Instruction  is  urged  also.  Here  then  is  the  order  of  work :  con- 
version, baptism,  training.     The  training  is  continual.     Evangel- 

285 


MATTHEW 


ever  I  commanded  you :  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 


ism  is  well,  but  the  teaching  ministry  is  good  also.  I  am  with  you 
alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  This  great  promise  will 
come  true  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  will  be  the  Teacher  of 
Christ  to  men.  Luke  (24:  44-53)  and  Acts  (i :  3-12)  tell  of  the 
last  Jerusalem  appearances  and  the  Ascension  from  Olivet.  But 
this  last  and  wonderful  word  in  Matthew  is  a  worthy  close  for  any 
book,  for  any  career,  even  for  the  life  of  Jesus  the  Son  of  God. 
He  will  indeed  come  back  again  (Acts  i :  11),  but  Matthew  leaves 
us  with  the  even  grander  thought  that  Christ  never  really  leaves 
us.  ^  He  is  with  his  disciples  here  and  now  day  by  day  till  the  end 
of  life  and  the  end  of  this  world  age.  This  promise  has  so  far  been 
fulfilled,  as  millions  of  devout  disciples  now  testify.  The  history 
of  Christianity,  with  all  its  shortcomings  due  to  the  imperfections 
of  believers,  is  yet  eloquent  testimony  to  the  power  of  Christ  in 
the  hearts  of  men.  This  promise  of  Jesus  is  thus  reenforced  by 
the  experience  of  the  past.  The  cause  of  missions  was  never  so 
full  of  hope  as  now.  The  world  task  still  challenges  the  faith  and 
courage  of  the  saints. 


286 


APPENDIX  A 
THE  TESTAMENTS   OF  THE  TWELVE  PATRIARCHS 

The  recent  publications  of  Dr.  R.  H.  Charles*  have  drawn 
fresh  attention  to  this  important  work.  Dr.  Charles  ^  claims  that 
the  "  ethical  teaching  "  of  this  book  "  is  indefinitely  higher  and 
purer  than  that  of  the  Old  Testament,"  though  *'  its  true  spiritual 
Child."  The  book,  he  thinks,  "  has  achieved  a  real  immortality 
by  influencing  the  thought  and  diction  of  the  writers  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  even  those  of  our  Lord."  This  is  a  very  large 
claim  and  at  once  challenges  the  attention  of  students  of  the  Gos- 
pels and  of  the  Life  of  Christ.  It  might  be  said  at  once  that  what 
Dr.  Charles  means  is  that  Jesus  himself  derived  his  ethical  inspira- 
tion from  this  book,  though  the  writers  of  the  Gospels  were  not 
particularly  affected  thereby.  But  he  means  more  than  that. 
He  suggests  both  things.  If  he  is  correct,  another  source  must  be 
placed  behind,  not  only  the  Greek  Gospels,  but  most  of  the  books 
of  the  New  Testament.  The  influence  of  the  Testaments  on 
Matthew  is  held  by  Dr.  Charles  to  be  very  great.^  But  just  here 
may  come  in  the  true  explanation  of  the  situation.  Plummer* 
shows  that  the  connection  between  Matthew  and  the  Testaments  is 
entirely  too  close.  He  finds  over  sixty  resemblances,  about  forty 
with  the  words  of  Jesus.  More  than  twenty  have  no  parallel  in 
Mark  or  Luke.  Plummer  argues  that  it  is  Matthew  and  other 
books  of  the  New  Testament  which  have  influenced  the  Testa- 
ments. The  original  text  was  in  Hebrew.  Charles  contends 
that  it  was  written  as  early  as  105  B.C.  Plummer  holds  that  it 
may  be  as  late  as  70  a.d.  At  any  rate  it  is  admitted  ^  all  round 
that  the  Greek  translation  has  been  manipulated  in  the  interest  of 
Christian  teaching  after  the  manner  of  the  Book  of  Enoch  and  the 
Sibylline  Oracles.  It  is  entirely  possible  that  the  Testaments 
have  received  these  teachings  from  the  New  Testament  either  by 
the  translator  or  by  a  copyist  and  reviser. 

The  absence  of  any  allusion  to  the  Testaments  in  the  Christian 
writers  until  the  time  of  Origen  is  further  proof  that  the  book  did 
not  so  powerfully  influence  the  New  Testament.      There  is,  of 

^  The  Testaments  of  the  Twelve  Patriarchs.  Translated  from  the  Editor's  Greek 
Text,  1908  ;  The  Greek  Versions  of  the  Testaments  of  the  Twelve  Patriarchs,  1908. 

»  Testaments  of  the  Twelve  Patriarchs,  p.  xvii.      « Cf.  Testaments,  etc.,  pp.  Ixxviii  flE. 
*  Comm.  on  Matt.,  p.  xlv.       s  Ibid.,  p.  xxxvii. 

287 


APPENDIX   B 


course,  no  objection  to  it,  if  it  is  a  fact.  It  would  show  that  the 
writers  of  the  New  Testament  read  more  widely  than  we  should 
otherwise  know.  But  the  probabilities  are  all  against  it.  Thence 
the  book  cannot  properly  be  considered  one  of  the  sources  of 
the  Greek  Matthew.^  A  good  specimen  of  the  resemblances  be- 
tween the  Testaments  and  Matthew  is  seen  in  these  quotations : 
"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  "  (Matt.  5  :  3)  and  "  They  who  were  poor  for  the  Lord's 
sake  shall  be  made  rich  "  (Testaments,  Judah  xxv.  4).  The 
likeness  in  some  instances  may  be  purely  accidental  or  due  to  the 
Old  Testament.  But  in  many  of  them  the  truth  seems  to  be  that 
they  come  from  Matthew.  The  question  involved  is  not  the 
eschatology  of  the  Gospels,  but  their  ethical  teaching. 

It  would  surely  be  very  astonishing  to  find  these  lofty  moral 
ideals  in  the  midst  of  the  formal  Pharisaism  so  strongly  de- 
nounced by  Jesus.  It  would  require  a  revision  of  our  notions  of 
the  Pharisees  quite  out  of  harmony  with  the  picture  of  them  drawn 
in  the  Gospels  and  Josephus,  not  to  say  in  the  Testament  itself. 

Jesus  is  explanation  enough  of  the  ethical  teaching  in  the  Gos- 
pels.^ But  who  could  explain  a  book  like  this  out  of  the  Pharisaic 
atmosphere  ? 


APPENDIX   B 

LANGUAGE  AND  STYLE  OF  THE  GOSPEL  OF  MATTHEW 

I.  Language  of  Jesus.  —  There  is  first  to  be  considered  the 
language  of  Jesus  whose  words  are  so  extensively  reported  in  the 
First  Gospel.  There  are  two  extremes  about  it.  One  extreme  is 
the  view  that  Jesus  spoke  only  Greek  or  almost  always  Greek.' 
The  other  extreme  is  the  view  that  Jesus  spoke  only  Aramaic* 
Hebrew  may  be  left  out  of  the  question.  It  had  been  relegated  to 
the  books  or  the  class  room.  But  we  know  now  that  Palestine 
was  a  bilingual  country  like  Wales.  Aramaic  was  the  language 
of  the  people  as  a  whole,  though  in  all  the  important  towns  Greek 
was  in  common  use,  side  by  side  with  the  Aramaic.  In  Jerusalem 
Paul  could  be  understood  when  he  spoke  in  Greek  to  the  chief 
captain  (Acts  21 :  37),  but  the  crowd  listened  all  the  more  atten- 
tively when  they  perceived  that  he  was  speaking  to  them  in  the 
Hebrew  (Aramaic)  language  (22:  2).     It  is  without  doubt  true 

1  See  further  The  Expositor  for  December,  1908,  and  February,  1909. 

*  Cf.  Stalker,  The  Ethic  of  Jesus  according^  to  the  Synoptic  Gospels,  1909. 

*  Cf.  Roberts,  Greek,  the  Language  of  Christ  and  His  Apostles,  1888. 

*  A.  Meyer,  Jesu  M utters pr ache,  1896. 

288 


APPENDIX  B 


that  Jesus  spoke  in  Aramaic,  as  is  shown  by  the  Aramaic  terms 
-explained  in  Mark  (s  :  41 ;  7  :  34.  Cf.  also  Matt.  27  :  46  and  Mk. 
15  :  34).  But  it  is  hardly  probable  that  Jesus  used  Aramaic  when 
great  crowds  came  to  him  in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  Decapolis,  and  other 
Hellenized  regions.  It  is  probable  that  when  with  the  twelve 
disciples  alone  he  spoke  Aramaic,  and  his  teaching  was  generally  in 
Aramaic  when  in  distinctly  Jewish  sections  of  the  country.  But 
we  must  admit  freedom  in  the  matter. 

2.  Language  of  the  Sources  of  the  Greek  Matthew.  —  The 
Markan  portion  was  derived,  in  all  probability,  from  the  present 
Greek  Mark.  Some  scholars  have  imagined  an  Aramaic  Mark 
behind  the  Greek  Mark,  but  that  is  hardly  probable.  Certainly 
Mark  had  Aramaic  sources  for  some  of  his  material,  as  is  shown 
by  the  translation  of  Aramaic  phrases  into  Greek  mentioned 
above.  Certainly  also  Peter,  one  of  Mark's  main  "  sources,"  if 
not  the  chief  one,  spoke  Aramaic  (Matt.  26  :  73),  since  his  Galilean 
accent  betrayed  his  non- Jerusalem  Aramaic.  Peter  also  knew 
Greek  and  probably  used  it  on  the  great  day  of  Pentecost  (Acts  2 
and  3),  though  he  was  more  at  home  in  the  Aramaic.  The  Logia 
of  Matthew  was  in  Aramaic  according  to  Papias  and  others.  The 
original  language  of  the  common  oral  tradition  used  by  Matthew 
(as  well  as  by  Mark  and  Luke)  was  Aramaic,  but  it  also  took  form 
in  Greek.  We  do  not  know  what  other  sources  the  author  of  the 
Greek  Matthew  used  nor  in  what  language  they  were  written. 

3.  The  Greek  Matthew  then  in  a  certain  sense  is  a  translation 
of  Aramaic  sources,  either  indirectly  in  the  use  of  Mark  or  di- 
rectly in  the  use  of  the  Logia  of  Matthew  and  the  oral  traditions. 
Some  of  the  variations  in  the  Synoptic  Gospels  may  be  due  to  the 
differences  in  the  Greek  rendering  of  the  same  Aramaic  source.^ 
But  the  translation  of  Aramaic  sources  in  the  Greek  Matthew  has 
not  been  slavishly  literal  any  more  than  his  use  of  Mark  has  been 
mere  copying. 

Dalman  holds  that  the  Logia  of  Matthew  was  written  in  the 
literary  Aramaic  of  Judea,  not  in  the  popular  Aramaic  of  Galilee.^ 

4.  Unity  of  Style  in  the  Greek  Matthew.  —  The  result  is  not 
a  mere  accidental  grouping  of  incongruous  parts,  not  a  mere  com- 
pilation. The  author  used  historical  sources  as  did  Luke,  and  the 
original  Matthew  is  revealed  to  a  certain  extent  in  the  result,  as  in 
Luke's  Gospel  (cf.  Chs.  i  and  2,  for  instance,  the  most  distinctly 
Hebraistic  part  of  the  Gospel).  It  is  in  the  contrast  between 
Matthew  and  Mark  that  this  point  comes  out  most  sharply. 
Allen  ^  has  worked  out  this  matter  with  great  success  and  fulness. 
In  general  the  First  Gospel  is  not  so  Aramaic  as  Mark.  "  Nor,  on 
the  other  hand,  has  it  the  Septuagintal  and,  so,  Hebraic  ring  of 

»  Cf.  J.  T.  MarshaU,  The  Expositor,  Ser.  IV.  2  Words  of  Jesus,  p.  81. 

3  Comm.,  pp.  xix-xxxi. 


2S9 


APPENDIX  B 


the  Third  Gospel."  ^  This  is  all  the  more  astonishing  when  we 
recall  the  fact  that  the  First  Gospel  has  as  many  Old  Testament 
quotations,  either  from  the  Septuagint  or  the  Hebrew,  as  is  true  in 
both  the  Second  and  Third  Gospels.  It  means  that  the  author 
of  the  Greek  Gospel  was  a  man  of  some  culture  and  independence. 
He  was  not  a  negative  character,  nor  is  his  book  a  colorless  nar- 
rative. It  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  peculiarities  of  style  in 
Mark,  like  the  151  historic  presents,^  have  so  generally  disappeared 
in  both  Matthew  and  Luke. 

Only  21  of  these  are  retained  in  Matthew,  though  he  has 
57  others  of  his  own.  It  is  not  possible  to  go  through  the  many 
linguistic  details  whereby  Matthew's  Gospel  shows  its  indepen- 
dence in  the  use  of  the  Markan  material.  The  reader  is  referred  to 
the  pages  of  Allen  just  mentioned.  Practically  the  same  peculiari- 
ties are  seen  through  the  whole  of  the  Gospel  and  have  convinced 
most  scholars  that  the  Greek  Matthew  is  not  a  mere  translation. 
So  it  is  an  independent  work  with  the  author's  own  style  shown  in 
the  free  use  of  his  sources.  The  words  and  phrases  peculiar  to  the 
Gospel  according  to  Matthew  are  well  shown  by  Hawkins.' 
These  run  through  all  parts  of  the  Gospel.  They  are  well  il- 
lustrated by  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  "  Father  in  heaven," 
"heavenly  Father,"  "then,"  "behold,"  "multitudes,"  as  op- 
posed to  Mark's  "  multitude,"  etc.  Many  of  the  details  can  only 
be  discussed  on  the  basis  of  the  Greek  text,  but  the  point  is  clearly 
sustained  that  the  First  Gospel  was  written  by  a  competent  man  of 
real  individuality.  The  book  is  one  of  marvellous  power  and 
worthy  of  the  genius  of  any  man,  with  the  stamp  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  all  through  it. 

*  Comm.,  p.  Ixxxvi.  2  Cf.  Hawkins,  Horae  Synoptica,  pp.  114  ff. 

8  Horx  Synopticoe,  pp.  4-9,  25-27. 


290 


INDEX 


Abbreviations,  50. 

Accusation,  274. 

Agrippa  I,  Herod,  5. 

Allen,  I,  2,  10,  15,  18,  20,  21,  22,  25, 

26,  29,  35,  37,  38,  42,  289  f. 
Analysis,  43-48. 
Andrew,  Call  of,  88. 
Anointing  in  Bethany,  253. 
Antipas,  Herod,  6,  175. 
Anti-pharisaic,  30. 

Apostles,  Names  of  the  twelve,  140  fif. 
Appendix  A,  287. 
Aramaic,  288. 
Aramaic  Gospel,  8. 
Aramaic  Logia,  14. 
Archelaus,  69. 
Arraignment  of  the  cities  of  oppor- 

timity,  152  f. 
Authority  of  believers,  203. 
Authority,  The,  of  Jesus,  119,  224, 

284. 

Babylon,  Captivity  in,  54. 
Baptism,  of  Jesus  by  John,  81  f. ;  The, 

of  John,  76  f.,  80. 
Barnabas,  Epistle  of,  4. 
Bartholemew,  141. 
Bartlett,  34. 
Beatitudes,  The,  92  ff. 
Bethany,  222. 
Bethlehem,  61. 
Bethphage,  218. 
Betrayal,  261. 
BibUography,  48-50. 
Birth  of  Jesus,   57;    according    to 

prophecy,  59  f. 
Blass,  3,  II. 

Blindness  cured,  137,  216. 
Boureant,  3. 


Broadus,  2,  28. 
Burgon,  i. 
Burial  of  Jesus,  278. 
Burkitt,  13. 
Burton,  8,  22. 

Caesarea  Philippi,  189. 
Caiaphas,  263. 
Call  of  the  Four,  88. 
Canonicity,  i  f. 
Canterbury  Revision,  2. 
Capernaum,  86,  153. 
Catholic,  31. 

Challenge  of  Jesus  by  rulers,  224. 
Characteristics,  29. 
Charles,  R.  H.,  287. 
Chief  priests,  64,  261,  274. 
Children,  Jesus  and,  209. 
Christ,  The,  38,  64. 
Christ  (the  name),  51,  56. 
Christology,  38. 
Church,  192,  202. 
Chiurch-members,  Conduct  of,  202. 
Cleansing  of  the  temple,  221. 
Commission,  The  great,  285. 
Conflict  in  the  temple,  224. 
Crisis,  The,  because  of  popular  fanat- 
icism, 177  ff. 
Crucifixion,  272. 

Cry  of  Jesus  on  the  Cross,  275. 
Curetonian  Syriac,  2. 
Cursives,  i. 

Dalman,  38,  39,  289. 

Date,  23. 

David,  53. 

Death   of    Jesus,    purjxjse   of,    216; 

teaching  concerning,  193,  214. 
Decapolis,  185. 


291 


INDEX 


Demoniacal  possession,  124. 

Historical  value,  25. 

Demonstration,  The  Messianic,  218. 

Hobart,  8. 

Denunciation,  235. 

Hort,  I,  2,  30. 

Discovirses,  32. 

Hunt,  14. 

Divorce  problem,  206  ff. 

Drmnmond,  7. 

Immanuel,  60. 

Dumbness  cvired,  138. 

Infants,  Massacre  of,  67. 
Irenaeus,  3,  4,  14,  24. 

Egyptian  versions,  i,  3. 

End  of  the  world,  241,  286. 

James  (son  of  Zebedee),  88, 141, 

259; 

Epileptic  boy,  197. 

(son  of  Alphaeus).  142. 

Eternal  life,  251. 

Jealous  ambition,  215. 

Eternal  punishment,  251. 

Jealousy  of  the  disciples,  199  ff 

Eusebius,  9. 

Jericho,  216. 

Examination  of  the  Twelve,  189. 

Jerusalem,  Jesus  turning  toward 
Jesus  (the  name),  39,  59. 

206. 

Family,  The,  of  Jesus,  163,  173  f. 

Jewish,  29. 

Fasting,  134  f. 

John,  88,  141,  259. 

Feeding  the  multitude,  177  f. 

John  the  Baptist,  72  ff.,  148;  Jesus* 

Fig  tree  cursed,  223. 

estimate  of,  150  f. ;  death  of. 

L7Sf. 

Flight  into  Egypt,  66. 

Joseph,  55,  58;    of  Arimathaea, 

277. 

Freer  Ms.  (Detroit),  i. 

Josephus,  II. 

Judas  Iscariot,  142,  254,  267. 

Gada.renes,  128. 

Judge,  250. 

Galilee    (the  main  scene  of   Jesus' 

Judgment,  241  f. 

ministry),  80,  81. 

Julicher,  25,  29,  36. 

Galilee,  Sea  of,  88. 

Justin  Martyr,  4,  14. 

Genealogy,  Legal,  of  Jesus,  51  ff. 

Gethsemane,  259. 

Kingdom  of  Heaven,  41  f.,  74, 

209. 

Gibson,  Mrs,  2. 

King  of  the  Jews,  268. 

Golden  Rule,  115. 

Knowledge  of  Jesus,  TJmitation   of 

Golgotha,  273. 

122,  246. 

Goodly  Pearls,  Parable  of,  171. 

Greek  Gospel  of  Matthew,  10,   289. 

Lament  over  Jerusalem,  240. 

Gregory,  4. 

Language  of  Jesus,  288. 

Grenfell,  14- 

Latin  versions,  i,  2,  3. 

Gressman,  2. 

Law,  Jesus'  attitude  to  the,  98  ff . 
Lawyers,  233. 

207. 

Hamack,  7,  8,  15,  17,  18,  24. 

Leaven,  Parable  of  the,  169. 

Harris,  J.  Kendall,  i. 

Leprosy,  119. 

Hastings,  3,  7,  11,  14,  22,  24,  34.  42- 

Levi,  5- 

Hawkins,  8,  9,  ",  I3,  i5,  I7,  18, 35, 

Lewis,  Mrs.,  2. 

36,  290. 

Logia,  14. 

Herod  the  Great,  61,  68. 

Lord,  39. 

Hidden  Treasure,  Parable  of,  171. 

Lord's  Supper,  257. 

Hill,  3. 

Luckock,  37. 

292 


INDEX 


Maclean,  7,  24. 

Publican,  6,  132. 

Magadan,  187. 

Purpose,  27. 

Magi  (wise  men),  62. 

Marriage  Feast,  Parable  of,  228. 

Q  (QueUe),  14  ff. 

Marshall,  J.  T.,  289. 

Quotations,  36. 

Mathews,  42. 

Matthew,   Apostle   (sketch  of  life). 

Ramsay,  8. 

5  ff.,  132,  141. 

Renan,  28. 

Messianic  demonstration,  218. 

Repent,  Meaning  of,  73. 

Messianic  message.  The,  87  f . 

Resurrection,  Time  of,  280;  Truth  of. 

Messianic  work  of  Jesus,  Beginning 

281  f. 

of,  81  flf. 

Reward,  Basis  of,  in  heaven,  212. 

Meyer,  A.,  288. 

Riches,  Pearl  of,  210  f. 

Miracles  of  healing,  1 19-125,  128  ff.. 

Righteousness,  The,  of  the  Kingdom, 

135-138, 157, 184;  purpose  of,  131, 

104  ff. 

149. 

Roberts,  288. 

Mofifatt,  24. 

Rushbrooke,  13. 

Mount  of  Olives,  218  f. 

Muirhead,  42. 

Sabbath  observance,  155  ff. 

Mustard  Seed,  Parable  of,  i6g. 

Sadducees,  78  f.,  130,  187,  231. 

Salmon,  11. 

Nazareth,  70. 

Sanday,  7,  42. 

Nestle,  Ebr.,  i,  3. 

Sanhedrin,  265  f. 

Net,  Parable  of  the,  172. 

Schweitzer,  42. 

Numbers,  35. 

Scribes,  130,  161. 

Second  coming,  245  f . 

Ophites,  4. 

Sermon    on    the    Mount,     circum- 

Opposition to  Jesus,  Growth  of  the, 

stances    of,    90-92;     introduction 

155  ff. 

to,     92-95;     theme    of,    96-98; 

Origen,  9. 

argument  developed,  98-116;  con- 

Origin of  the  Gospel,  7. 

clusion,  116-118;  effect  of,  119. 

Oxyrhynchus,  14. 

Simon  (the  Cananaean),  142. 

Simon  (the  leper),  253. 

Papias,  4,  9,  10,  14. 

Simon  (Peter),  88,  141,  190  f.,  259, 

Parables  (a  new  method  of  teaching), 

265. 

165,  166. 

Sinaitic  Palimpsest,  2. 

Passover,  252,  255  f. 

Smith,  David,  24,  36. 

Peter,  191. 

Son,  of  Abraham,  38,  52 ;  of  David, 

Pharisees,  77,  130,  133,  161,  187,  229. 

38,  51,  220,  234;    of  God,  40,  84, 

Philip,  141. 

264,  277;  of  Man,  40,  126,  157. 

Phylacteries,  236. 

Sources  of  the  Gospel,  11. 

Pilate,  267. 

Sower,  Parable  of  the,  165. 

Plummer,  10,  11,  12,  14,  19,  25,35, 

Stalker,  288. 

37,  41,  287. 

Storm  at  Sea,  126  f.,  179  f. 

Property,  Jesus  and,  211. 

Style,  289. 

Prophecy  of  the  end,  241, 

Synagogue,  89. 

293 


INDEX 


Synoptic  Problem,  7  ff. 

Trial  of  Jesus,  268  £f. 

Syriac  versions,  i,  2,  3. 

Tribute  money,  230. 
Triumphal  entry,  218. 

Talents,  Parable  of,  248. 

Triumph  of  Jesus,  280, 

Tares,  Parable  of,  explained. 

170. 

Two  Sons,  Parable  of,  225. 

Tatian,  3. 

Taylor,  14. 

Uncials,  I. 

Teaching  of  the  Twelve,  4. 

Unity  of  the  Book,  23. 

Temple  tax,  198  f. 

Unleavened  bread.  Day  of,  255. 

Temptations  of  Jesus,  83  ff. 

Tertullian,  2. 

Versions,  i,  3. 

Test,  The,  of  the  Kingdom, 

117. 

Virgins,  Parable  of,  247. 

Testaments  of  the  Twelve  Patriarchs, 

Virgin  birth,  19  f.,  57. 

287. 

Votaw,  34. 

Text,  I  f. 

Textus  Receptus,  i. 

Warfield,  38,  39- 

Thackeray,  11. 

Weiss,  I,  2,  23. 

Thaddeus,  142. 

Wellhausen,  12,  14,  17,  18. 

Theme,  51. 

Westcott,  12. 

Thomas  (Didymus),  141. 

Westcott  and  Hort,  i,  2,  3. 

Title,  8. 

Western  type  of  text,  2. 

Topical,  34. 

Whitney,  2. 

Tour,   First    Galilean,   89; 

Experi- 

Wicked    Husbandmen,    Parable  of, 

mental  of  the  Twelve,  139 

ff. 

226. 

Tradition  of  the  Elders,  181  1 

. 

Withdrawal  to  Phoenicia,  183. 

Training  of  the  Twelve  in 

view  of 

Woes,  237  f. 

Jesus'  death,  175  flf. 

Transfigxiration  of  Jesus,  195 

Zahn,  I,  8,  10,  29,  30,  38,  41. 

294 


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